BVB updates: Moukoko, Akanji and Özcan
Dortmund are off and running after their first round win in the DFB-Pokal, as they now have contract issues to resolve and a player returning from injury.
17-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko has an expiring contract in 2023 and Dortmund have tendered in offer to extend per WAZ media. However, the forward wants to wait and see what's his role is in Edin Terzić's system before signing on for several more years. Moukoko did start in Dortmund's win this past weekend, although he failed to score.
According to Bild, Dortmund could hold onto Manuel Akanji for the next few weeks if a decent offer is not received due to Niklas Süle's thigh injury. BVB would still prefer to sell the 27-year-old who's on the last year of his contract, although interest is cooling from both Inter Milan and Arsenal.
Salih Özcan is back with the team after suffering a foot bruise in the first week of training. Per Kicker, he could be used as an option against Leverkusen on Matchday 1. A quick entrance into the starting lineup seems unlikely, as Mahmoud Dahoud and Jude Bellingham impressed in the first round of the DFB-Pokal.