“We don’t want to give up our good players”
Departure of DFB stars? BVB boss speaks out
November 5, 2025 – 9:43 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Borussia Dortmund has several German national players in its ranks. But the DFB professionals are in great demand. They are still not allowed to leave for the time being.
BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl has spoken out about the possible departure of several German national players from Borussia Dortmund. Before the Champions League game against Manchester City, the 45-year-old was asked in a DAZN interview by presenter Laura Wontorra: “How careful do you have to be that he continues to play for BVB beyond the winter transfer phase?” This meant Felix Nmecha.
Kehl responded with a double demand. “Felix Nmecha? About the winter?” Wontorra said yes. “I don’t even think about it,” says Kehl. “Felix still has a long-term contract and we don’t feel like giving up our good players in the winter anyway.”
Nmecha moved from Wolfsburg to Dortmund in 2023. His working paper at BVB runs until 2028. This season he has particularly impressed with strong performances in the Champions League and has already scored three goals in the current competition. Italian media recently reported that Juventus Turin was interested in the midfielder.
But Kehl wasn’t just asked about Nmecha. The BVB boss also had to answer the question about the future of Karim Adeyemi and Nico Schlotterbeck. Kehl’s clear answer: “The two of them won’t change in the winter either.”
He also commented on extending the contracts of both players. “We are working on it, but to be honest there is no new status,” said Kehl. “And we would like to keep both of them at Borussia Dortmund in the long term.”
Adeyemi’s contract in Dortmund expires in 2027, as does Schlotterbeck’s. The attacker has been repeatedly linked to various top clubs in recent years. FC Bayern was recently mentioned as a possible buyer for the defender Schlotterbeck.