Dortmund's head scout off to Bayern
In a move that will infuriate BVB fans, head scout Markus Pilawa hasn't just left to any other club. He's off to Bayern Munich.
Markus Pilawa has been with Dortmund since 2012 and has lead the scouting department since 2017. He's credited with recruiting some of the top talents in world football including the likes of Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. While the destination of the move is shocking supporters, it doesn't come to much surprise that the 44-year-old is leaving BVB altogether.
Pilawa has been linked to rejuvenate crisis-stricken Hertha Berlin and a return to VfL Bochum. With 1 year left on his contract amid extension negotiations, Dortmund have granted his release to Bavaria which has understandably angered Dortmund fans. Reports state that Pilawa's relationship with Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl and trainer Edin Terzić are strained.
This is a gut-punch for a club that heavily rely on their model of talent-development. What makes things even more interesting is that 52-year-old French scout Laurent Busser, Pilawa’s assistant, moved from Bayern to Dortmund in June. Busser will now assume the role as head of scouting and analysis.
❗️Excl. Markus #Pilawa: DONE DEAL! He will join #FCBayern as a chief scout. He will start on September 1st. Important strategic deal from Neppe and Salihamdzic. @SkySportDE 🇩🇪
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 27, 2022
From a Bayern point of view, this is a massive win. Hasan Salihamidžić and Marco Neppe have their man to usher in new era of scouting young talent. The signing of 17-year-old Mathys Tel for around €28 million signals that their policies are shifting.
Heavily investing in the next generation of talent from around the globe is becoming a top priority for the Bavarian club.