Stuttgart wanted to make Bruun Larsen the club's record signing
VfB Stuttgart boss Michael Reschke says he wanted to make Jacob Bruun Larsen the most expensive player in the club's history, but Borussia Dortmund refused to sell the youngster.
20-year-old Jacob Bruun Larsen has been one of the most positive surprises at Borussia Dortmund this season, making five appearances with three goals and two assists to his name.
The young Dane came back to Dortmund after spending the second half of last season on loan at VfB Stuttgart who wanted to sign him permanently.
According to Stuttgart sporting director Michael Reschke, the club were ready to pay €12 million for Bruun Larsen and thus make him their record signing, but Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc was adamant to keep the young starlet.
"We were ready to pay the highest fee in the club's history for him. We offered Dortmund €12 million. But Michael Zorc wasn't ready to talk at all and categorically ruled out selling him," Michael Reschke told Bild and added:
"I'm now experiencing my 40th season in professional football. But during that time, I haven't seen five players at that age who had made so much progress and who was as mature as Jacob. When I say that, I refer to his self-motivation, his footballing intellect and his character. He is a top boy."
"We had a bit of hope that Jacob wouldn't do so well at Dortmund because there is so much competition at his position. His strong pre-season was his luck and our bad luck," Reschke said.
But if Bruun Larsen impressed so much at Stuttgart, then why did he just make four appearances under Tayfun Korkut who was the club's coach at the time? Reschke explains:
"Jacob also had a high priority under Tayfun Korkut. But we practically played the second half of the season with just 12 players because we were on a run. That's why there were hardly any changes."
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has since confirmed that VfB Stuttgart wanted to sign Jacob Bruun Larsen, but denies that the BVB were offered €12 million for the Dane.