By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Official: Wolfsburg defender Pongracic to Dortmund on loan with purchase option

Borussia Dortmund have their exigently needed central defender after the loan of VfL Wolfsburg's Marin Pongracic was officially confirmed. 
German-Croatian defender Marin Pongracic will spend the season in Nordrhein-Westfalen. The 23-year-old remains under contract with parent club VfL Wolfsburg through 2024, but loan-club Borussia Dortmund reportedly receive a buyout option in the €10-€12 million range as part of the deal.

Pongracic himself constituted a rather large purchase for Wolfsburg during the January 2020 transfer window. After arriving in Lower Saxony for a €10 million fee, Pongracic briefly served as John Anthony Brooks' center-halve partner after a suspension delayed his Bundesliga debut during the 2019/20 "Rück-runde."

The emergence of Maxence Lacroix saw him relegated to the Wolfsburg bench.

Pongracic also had issues with prolonged COVID symptoms last year.



Bundesliga news

Match report DFB-Pokal20:45 Pokal Kickoffs: Musiala minces Mainz, Bielefeld knock out Union, Hoffenheim advance
Mainz & LeipzigKlopp speaks on Mainz protests on Kroos brothers podcast
FC BayernEberl outlines Bayern are "In the process of developing something"
Match report DfB PokalDucksch breaks Paderborn hearts as Bremen secure last-16 berth
Match report DfB PokalHertha Berlin spring upset as Heidenheim's Pokal dreams end in controversy
Match report DfB PokalFreiburg's first-half surge sees off HSV
Match report DfB PokalMarmoush the joker as 10-man Frankfurt eliminate Gladbach
Mainz & BayernNadiem Amiri: "You definitely have respect for Bayern again"
Rumor FC BayernMüller linked with MLS move
Rumor RB LeipzigCan Klopp convince Xavi Simons to join Leipzig permanently?
RB LeipzigKlopp defends Red Bull job: "Didn't want to step on anybody's toes"
RB LeipzigRose hopes Openda and Gulacsi will be fit for Dortmund
TSG HoffenheimHoffenheim keen to extend Kramaric's contract

Table

Match days

Mainz & LeipzigKlopp speaks on Mainz protests on Kroos brothers podcast
Other Eintracht Frankfurt Eintracht confirm Kristensen's loss through international break
Post-match reaction Union & EintrachtUnion and Eintracht lash out at referee after draw
Team of the week BundesligaBundesliga Team of the Week: Matchday 8
Match report Heidenheim & HoffenheimBaumann heroics earn Hoffenheim draw against Heidenheim
Post-match reaction Eintracht FrankfurtGötze "very proud" after scoring in 300th Bundesliga match
Post-match reaction FC BayernEberl and Kompany laud Musiala after Bochum win
Match report Bochum & BayernFive-star Bayern thrash Bochum to return to winning ways
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 Leverkusen Alonso says Leverkusen "can and must defend better" after Werder draw
Post-match reaction VfB StuttgartHoeness criticizes Chabot for sending off: "Shouldn't happen again"
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 8Bremen battle back to draw Leverkusen late
Post-match reaction SC FreiburgGünter "proud" after Freiburg's "bitter" defeat against Leipzig
Post-match reaction Borussia DortmundKehl backs Sahin despite defeat: "He prepares his team well."
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 815:30 Kickoffs: Augsburg upset BVB, St. Pauli falter at home again, Leipzig claim top spot
Preview Bochum, Bayern MunichBochum vs Bayern München preview: Bayern to leave European humbling in the past
Preview St. Pauli & WolfsburgSt. Pauli vs Wolfsburg preview: Crucial bottom-half clash
Preview Augsburg & Borussia DortmundAugsburg vs Borussia Dortmund preview: BVB look to bounce back after European heartbreak
Predicted lineups BundesligaPredicted Bundesliga lineups: Matchday 8
Other SC Freiburg & ÖFBSchuster thanks Rangnick for set-piece model: "We used the Austrian corner variant."
Post-match reaction Union Berlin & Holstein KielRothe after sinking former club: "I still care about Kiel."
Team of the week BundesligaBundesliga Team of the Week: Matchday 7
Post-match reaction VfL WolfsburgGerhardt fumes after latest Wolfsburg failure: "We're always talking about new beginnings...."
Bayer 04 LeverkusenAlonso on managing Wirtz's minutes: "We needed him for half an hour"
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 7Bremen run riot against 10-man Wolfsburg
Match report Bundesliga Matchday 7Tom Rothe shines as Union Berlin see off Holstein Kiel

German Teams in Europe

Match report UEFA Conference LeagueMainka leads by example as Heidenheim beat Pafos
Match report UEFA Europa LeaguePorto push Hoffenheim aside in showery conditions
Match report UEFA Europa LeagueRiga frustrate Frankfurt until Larsson leaves his mark
Other Eintracht FrankfurtConfirmed lineups: Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Rigas FS
Post-match reaction FC BayernBayern lost confidence against Barcelona, Müller admits
Post-match reaction FC BayernVincent Kompany: "No excuses" after Bayern's clear loss to Barcelona
Post-match reaction FC BayernKimmich reacts to Barcelona defeat: "It was hara-kiri from us at times"
Match report RB LepizigAnother nearly night as Liverpool's Nuñez sinks Leipzig
Match report FC BayernRaphinha grabs hat-trick as clinical Barcelona punish Bayern
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 LeverkusenAlonso gives bleak injury update on Adli and reacts to Brest draw
Match report Bayer 04 LeverkusenLeverkusen drop points in Brittany with 1-1 draw against Brest
Preview RB LeipzigConfirmed lineups: RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool
FC BayernConfirmed lineups: Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich
Other Bayer 04 LeverkusenConfirmed lineups: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stade Brest
Other Eintracht FrankfurtToppmöller guarantees Europa League start for Uzun, promises more minutes for Matanovic
Other RB LeipzigSzoboszlai expresses hope that Leipzig take Bundesliga title
Post-match reaction VfB StuttgartStuttgart euphoric after downing Juventus: "It doesn't get any better than this!"
Post-match reaction Borussia DortmundSahin responds to criticism of formation change against Real Madrid
Post-match reaction Borussia DortmundNmecha frustrated with Dortmund's second-half performance: "We gave the ball away too much"
Match report VfB Stuttgart Touré delivers knockout blow as Stuttgart take out Juventus
Match report Borussia DortmundReal Madrid blitz Dortmund in second-half onslaught
FC BayernKimmich looks forward to reunion with Flick
FC BayernKompany gives fresh update on Musiala ahead of Barcelona clash
Bayer 04 LeverkusenAlonso explains decision to leave Boniface out of Leverkusen's squad to face Brest
Borussia DortmundConfirmed lineups: Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund

DFB-Pokal

Match report DFB-Pokal20:45 Pokal Kickoffs: Musiala minces Mainz, Bielefeld knock out Union, Hoffenheim advance
Match report DfB PokalDucksch breaks Paderborn hearts as Bremen secure last-16 berth
Match report DfB PokalHertha Berlin spring upset as Heidenheim's Pokal dreams end in controversy
Match report DfB PokalFreiburg's first-half surge sees off HSV
Match report DfB PokalMarmoush the joker as 10-man Frankfurt eliminate Gladbach
Mainz & BayernNadiem Amiri: "You definitely have respect for Bayern again"
Post-match reaction FC AugsburgDahmen after successful 2024/25 debut: "I showed the coach he can count on me."
Post-match reaction VfB StuttgartFührich comments on 2024/25 form: "I haven't met my standards."
Post-match reaction RB LeipzigBaumgartner on Leipzig success despite injuries: "All this crap has brought us closer together."
Match report DFB POKALWind's late winner secures Wolfsburg win vs Dortmund
Match report DFB POKALStuttgart see off Kaiserslautern, Köln ease past Kiel and Regensburg survive red card
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 LeverkusenRolfes critical of Leverkusen's performance despite 3-0 win
Post-match reaction Bayer 04 LeverkusenAleix Garcia eager for more minutes after scoring in the cup
Preview Eintracht & GladbachEintracht Frankfurt vs. Gladbach preview: Team news and predicted lineups
MainzHenriksen and Mainz not "afraid" of Bayern
Match report DfB PokalAugsburg advance past Schalke, Karlsruhe eliminate Kickers Offenbach
Match report DfB PokalLeipzig see off St.Pauli in six-goal Pokal thriller
Match report DfB PokalLeverkusen make light work of Elversberg
Other Eintracht FrankfurtToppmöller draws comparison to Özil in explaining Chaibi's form dip: "A matter of body language."
Preview Mainz & FC BayernMainz vs. Bayern Munich preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Bayer 04 LeverkusenAlonso wary of underestimating Elversberg: "They deserve the same respect as Liverpool"
Other DFB PokalThorup guarantees Pokal starts for Claude-Maurice and Dahmen
Preview DFB-POKAL VfL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund preview: Wolfsburg looking for repeat of 2015 final
Other VfL WolfsburgHasenhüttl declares Majer and Nmecha ready for minutes against Dortmund
Other DFB PokalHoeneß reveals Chabot will miss out against Lautern, Bredlow to start in net

German National Team

Post-match reaction DFB-FrauenGwinn's reveals Popp's final words after passing on captaincy: "She said 'Have fun with the crew'."
Other DFB FrauenWück announces short "symbolic" shift for Popp, two DFB players depart camp injured
Match report DFB FrauenGerman women prevail over England in seven-goal-thriller at Wembley
DFB FrauenChristian Wück's full German women's squad for October friendlies
Other DFB FrauenWück speaks on scouting, systems, and personal coaching journey ahead of Wembley debut
Other DFBFormer Germany U21 captain denies reports of Cameroon switch
Match report DFBGermany U21s complete undefeated qualifying campaign, yet still blow lead in draw with Poland
DFB Nagelsmann reveals why Wirtz was taken off at half-time against the Netherlands
Post-match reaction DFBNagelsmann shares thoughts on win over Netherlands: "It's deserved"
Post-match reaction DFBBaumann "happy, proud and thankful" after his Germany debut
Post-match reaction DFBLeweling modest after scoring debut winner for Germany: "Happy I could help"
Post-match reaction DFBKimmich praises "outstanding" Leweling after win over Netherlands
Match report DFBLeweling's debut goal sends Germany into Nations League quarter-finals
DFBUndav to miss out against the Netherlands with injury
DFBConfirmed lineups: Germany vs. Netherlands
DFBNagelsmann speaks on possibility of remaining Germany coach beyond 2026
DFBAngelo Stiller set for first Germany start on Monday
DFBPavlovic in contention to start against Netherlands after returning from injury
Preview DFBGermany vs. Netherlands preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Other Stuttgart & DFBConfirmed: Adductor tear to sideline Führich for two to three weeks
Other Bayern, Stuttgart, Hoffenheim, & DFBNübel reveals Baumann will stand in goal against the Netherlands
Post-match reaction Köln, Regensburg, & DFBMartel on clinching Euro qualification at old academy ground: "I used to be the ball boy here."
Post-match reaction Bayern & DFB Kimmich thanks Bosnia-Herzegovina fans for warm reception in Nations League duel
Other Bayern, Stuttgart, & DFBPavlovic and Führich questionable for Monday after sustaining injuries in Friday win
Match report DFBUndav brace proves the difference as Germany edge out Bosnia-Herzegovina

Long reads

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Analysis/Commentary Werder BremenThe world’s worst restart: Naby Keïta’s disastrous one-year spell at Werder Bremen
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 3
Analysis/Commentary VfL Bochum‘The Unrelegatables’: How Peter Zeidler’s tactics can secure VfL Bochum’s Bundesliga status
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against the Netherlands
Analysis/Commentary SC FreiburgSC Freiburg analysis – Perfect response and jubilant mood on opening day
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga Matchday 1"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 1 (New transfers edition)
Analysis/Commentary FantasyFantasy Bundesliga: A guide to the new rules for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary Bayer 04 LeverkusenHow Bayer Leverkusen could line up for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary FC BayernHow Bayern could line up for the 2024/25 season
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Denmark
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Switzerland
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Hungary
Analysis/Commentary DFBGermany player ratings against Scotland
Analysis/Commentary BundesligaShould the Bundesliga relegation/promotion tie be scrapped?
Analysis/Commentary BundesligaBundesliga Team of the Season
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 34
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga Matchday 34"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 34
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 33
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 33
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 32
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 32
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga "Tactics Talk"Bundesliga Tactics Talk: Round 31
Analysis/Commentary BayernBayern Munich player ratings against Real Madrid
Analysis/Commentary Bundesliga"Ones to watch" for Bundesliga Matchday 31

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