{"id":1123043,"date":"2020-05-14T15:15:56","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T14:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1123043"},"modified":"2020-05-15T16:31:34","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T15:31:34","slug":"borussia-dortmund-bargain-buys-erling-braut-haaland","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/borussia-dortmund-bargain-buys-erling-braut-haaland\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheaper than Haaland: Borussia Dortmund’s best bargain signings"},"content":{"rendered":"

In hopes of aiding their Bundesliga title challenge this season, Borussia Dortmund<\/span> pulled off yet another masterstroke in the market to enhance their reputation as Europe’s transfer gurus.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The January transfer window saw BVB<\/span> not only sign one of the continent’s most sought-after youngsters in Erling Braut Haaland, but they also acquired his services for an exceptionally modest \u00a317.1million fee – his buyout clause.<\/p>\n

Indeed the\u00a0Westfalenstadion has been a hive of shrewd transfer activity in recent years, with BVB<\/span>\u00a0signing some of world football’s heavyweight stars – but for a featherweight price.<\/p>\n

Haaland was the latest of those mega talents to be enlisted into the Borussia books and he has flourished in the Bundesliga<\/span>, but this is not the first time Michael Zorc has flexed his Midas touch.<\/p>\n

In fact, BVB<\/span> have signed some of the game’s most promising talents and current world-class stars for even less than the Haaland sum. So just how crafty have Dortmund<\/span> been in the market in recent years? <\/span><\/p>\n

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Signed from:<\/strong>\u00a0Saint-Etienne<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported fee: <\/strong>\u00a311m<\/p>\n

Signed from Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne in 2013 as a goalscoring winger, Aubameyang<\/span> found the back of a net under Jurgen Klopp<\/span> at an alarming rate despite playing out wide. It\u00a0wasn’t until the current Liverpool<\/span> boss shifted ‘Auba’ from flank to forward that his\u00a0Golden Boot exploits truly came alive.<\/span><\/p>\n

And from there Aubameyang hasn’t looked back. He is now regarded as one of world football’s most devastating and prolific strikers, provoking Arsenal<\/span> to courier \u00a356m to Dortmund<\/span> for his signature in 2018. Having signed for just \u00a311m, Aubameyang<\/span>‘s 141-goal return in only five seasons at Dortmund<\/span> makes him one of the bargains of the decade. <\/span><\/p>\n

Not to mention he was the fastest player to reach 75 Bundesliga<\/span> goals for Dortmund<\/span>, reaching the milestone in just 117 games – by comparison, Robert Lewandowski scored 74 in 131 league games for the club.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ousmane Dembele<\/strong> <\/span><\/h2>\n

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Signed from:<\/strong>\u00a0Rennes<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported fee: <\/strong>\u00a313m<\/p>\n

Another shrewd signing from French football, Dembele joined the ranks in Dortmund<\/span> as a precocious winger and immediately flourished during his only campaign in the Bundesliga<\/span>. The 23-year-old netted double digits in 2016\/17 as Dortmund<\/span> went on to lift the DFB-Pokal, while he was also named in the Bundesliga<\/span> Team of the Season during his maiden term.<\/span><\/p>\n

Naturally this alerted some of Europe’s big hitters, and Barcelona<\/span> reached deep into their pockets to splash a lucrative \u00a3112m for the World Cup winner. Fans are still waiting for him to replicate his Dortmund form in Catalonia, but this will surely go down as one of the best pieces of transfer activity from the German club in footballing history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marco Reus<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Signed from:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Borussia Monchengladbach<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported fee: <\/strong>\u00a315m<\/p>\n

Signed from\u00a0Borussen rivals Monchengladbach in 2013, Reus has gone on to establish himself as one of Europe’s most threatening and lethal attacking players in the yellow and black colours of Dortmund<\/span>. The 30-year-old has had ill-luck with recurring injury problems in recent years, but he is seemingly back to his best and now wears the captain’s armband for the Bundesliga<\/span> club.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert Lewandowski<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Signed from:\u00a0<\/strong>Lech Poznan<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported fee: <\/strong>\u00a34m<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old is a goalscoring machine and will\u00a0surely go down as the striker of the decade. He has gone on to immortalise his No. 9 status with Bayern Munich<\/span>, but it was during his Dortmund days that the world started to pay attention to this menacing marksman. <\/span><\/p>\n

A four-time winner of the Bundesliga top scorer accolade, few strikers can hold a candle to this lethal goal-getter, and Dortmund<\/span> deserve huge credit for scouting him and providing a platform from which to thrive.\u00a0 And it appears that Lewandowski is trying to return the favour, urging Haaland to remain in the Bundesliga<\/span> amid reports of a move to Real Madrid and Manchester United<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe has huge potential, but still has time,” Lewandowski said<\/a>. “I don’t want to put any pressure on him with my statements.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf he works hard, he can become a better player and eventually reach the top level. Therefore it might be good for him if he would stay in the Bundesliga<\/span> longer before taking the next step.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ilkay Gundogan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Signed from:\u00a0<\/strong>1. FC Nurnberg<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported fee: <\/strong>\u00a34m<\/p>\n

Gundogan is now an illustrious part of Pep Guardiola<\/span>‘s furniture at Manchester City, but the Germany<\/span> international was once pulling the creative strings as a luxurious axis for BVB<\/span>. The 29-year-old is another like Reus who endured a long-term injury lay-off, but he returned and showcased his innate midfield ability at the Westfalenstadion before City came knocking on the door and lured him away for a handsome fee.<\/span><\/p>\n