Confirmed: Coulibaly loaned out to Antwerp with purchase option
Soumaïla Coulibaly's loan out to the Jupiler Pro League was confirmed early Friday afternoon.
Soumaïla Coulibaly's rumored departure from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed on Friday afternoon. The deal turned out to be another loan-out. After a loan-arrangement to send the 19-year-old to newly promoted Premiership side Burnley FC fell through earlier this summer, Dortmund have found a club willing to take on a high-value purchase clause. North-Rhine Westphalia's "Ruhr Nachrichten" reports that the clause is in the €10-12 million range.
"For Soumi, the opportunity has arisen to gain playing practice at national and international level in Antwerp," BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl is quoted as saying in a statement released on Dortmund's website, "Since we cannot currently guarantee him this playing practice at the center-back position, we have complied with his request to go out on loan."
Coulibaly made two appearances for the BVB senior side last season. An unfortunate error during his second appearance with the professionals late last season led to Dortmund ceding a late lead against Stuttgart. Dortmund themselves now have only four central defenders - Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle, and Antonios Papadopoulos - on their roster.