Confirmed: Hummels leaves Borussia Dortmund
Mats Hummels | Sandro Halank CC-BY-SA 4.0 |
Mats Hummels and Borussia Dortmund will part ways when the defender's contract expires at the end of June.
The Black and Yellows have confirmed that the veteran centre-back will be leaving the club on a free transfer after spending more than 13 years with them.
"Dear fans, my time in black and yellow is now coming to an end after more than 13 years. It has been a great honor and pleasure for me to have played for BVB for so long and to have been part of the journey from 13th place in January 2008 to what Borussia Dortmund is today. This club and its fans are something very special - and for me even more so," said Mats Hummels.
“I would also like to thank all the BVB employees who do such a great job for this club and of course the countless great coaches and fantastic players I have met here. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll all meet again at the Borsigplatz as soon as possible. Until then, I'll be cheering you on from afar and hopefully in the stadium from time to time. I will miss you.”
Borussia Dortmund's managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, describes Hummels as a "driving force" for Borussia Dortmund over the past 15 years.
“He has won many titles, his personal highlight was certainly the World Cup triumph in 2014. Mats' central defensive play was and is exceptional, and generations of players would have loved to have had his edge on the outside. Now our paths part and it is never easy for anyone involved to make such decisions. Mats will forever be a part of the BVB history books. We owe a lot to this player and Mats also owes a lot to this extraordinary club. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Hummels has featured a total of 508 times for Dortmund, scoring 38 goals and providing 23 assists.