RN report: Dortmund prepare to tie down Knauff with promises of a starting role
North-Rhine Westphalia's "Ruhr Nachrichten" reports that Borussia Dortmund are actively working on their own push to retain loaned-out German youth international Ansgar Knauff.
The topic of Ansgar Knauff's future has been a live issue for several months, with both parent club Borussia Dortmund and long-term loan club Eintracht Frankfurt issuing competing statements about where the talented youngster will be playing next year. Following recent reports that Eintracht will be holding talks with the BVB this January, NRW's "Ruhr Nachrichten" claims that Dortmund hope to permanently settle the issue soon with a contract extension for the 20-year-old.
Knauff's 18-month-loan stint in the Rhein-Main metropolis expires at the end of the season. Since joining "die Adler" last January, Knauff's estimated market value has doubled to €10 million in the latest transfermarkt listings. It has been reported that Dortmund will not consider letting the youngster go for less than €8 million.
According to the RN report, die Borussen are especially keen to retain Knauff after he's found success as a right-wingback in SGE head-coach Oliver Glasner's tactical set-up. The Westphalian newspaper notes that Dortmund even consider the Germany U21 international as a solution for their sought after re-stock at the right fullback/winger position.
It is such that Knauff will be promised a starting role if he extends his current contract, presently good through the end of the 2023/24 season. A hefty pay raise should surely be in order as well if Knauff is to be persuaded to sign new working papers this January. RN reports that preparations for the new offer are in full swing.