Manager Marco Rose and Borussia Dortmund have parted ways after just one season, the Bundesliga club announced Friday.
“The day was not an easy one for all of us, as we have all held each other in high regard and continue to do so,” Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said.
“After a season that was unsatisfactory for various reasons, we were forced to conclude that we did not achieve the maximum possible in many areas.”
Rose guided Borussia Dortmund to second place in the Bundesliga last season, eight points behind champions Bayern Munich.
However, Dortmund were relegated to the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Ajax and Sporting CP. They were then upset in the first knockout round by eventual runners-up Rangers.
“Despite a difficult season with many uncertainties, I was convinced by our path,” Rose said.
“During our discussion, I developed the impression there was no longer 100% conviction among all those responsible. We, therefore, ultimately decided together to end the cooperation.”
Dortmund will begin their search for a new manager in the coming days.
Paris Saint-Germain have given up on re-signing Kylian Mbappe after learning the 23-year-old has an agreement with Real Madrid, sources told ESPN’s Julien Laurens.
Mbappe, whose contract with PSG expires June 30, reportedly agreed to terms with Madrid on Monday.
The Ligue 1 giants had held out hope they could still persuade him to extend his stay in Paris, but sources told Laurens that Mbappe was set on fulfilling his dream of playing for Madrid.
PSG believed as recently as last week Mbappe would sign an extension, according to Laurens. French outlet Le Parisien reported earlier in May that PSG offered the prolific forward a two-year deal worth around €50 million per season, along with a loyalty bonus of €100 million.
The club’s offer included promises to make Mbappe captain, Laurens reported Tuesday. PSG would also have allowed him to keep 100% of his image rights.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino seemed confident he’d coach Mbappe in Paris next season, saying in April that he was “100%” sure they’d remain together at the Parc des Princes.
But the player now seems set to join Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
Mbappe said Sunday he was “almost” ready to decide his future and that he’d make an announcement before France’s Nations League game against Denmark on June 3.
Mbappe has spent the past five seasons with PSG, notching 169 goals and 79 assists in 246 games for the club. He’s expected to make his final appearance Saturday at home to Metz.
Kylian Mbappe has agreed to personal terms with Real Madrid and is expected to sign a deal once he completes the season with Paris Saint-Germain, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports.
However, PSG are reportedly trying to convince Mbappe to change his mind and extend his stay in the French capital.
The 23-year-old, whose contract with PSG expires June 30, said Sunday he was “almost” ready to make a decision about his future and that he’d make an announcement before France’s Nations League game against Denmark on June 3.
“My story goes on. I keep on winning, I’m never satisfied, and that’s good,” Mbappe said after being named Ligue 1’s player of the season for a third consecutive year.
PSG seemed confident in January they would agree to a short-term contract with the World Cup winner, avoiding the embarrassment of losing one of the best players in the world on a free transfer. Mbappe refused to make any definitive statements during the season and remained tight-lipped when PSG drew Madrid in the Champions League round of 16. Mbappe scored twice against Los Blancos, but PSG lost 3-2 on aggregate.
Madrid now appear to have won Mbappe’s signature after reportedly offering €160 million for the player last summer.
PSG director Leonardo criticized Madrid’s behavior in October, saying they showed a lack of respect and must face punishment for openly courting the high-scoring forward over the last two years.
“We’ve never planned PSG’s future without Mbappe,” Leonardo added.
Mbappe has 169 goals and 79 assists in 246 appearances across all competitions since joining PSG from AS Monaco in 2017 for an eventual €180 million.
Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund to sign forward Erling Haaland this summer, the Premier League club announced Tuesday.
The transfer remains dependent on Manchester City agreeing to contract terms with the 21-year-old.
It’s understood that Haaland will sign a five-year deal worth £375,000 a week – the same amount as City’s highest earner, Kevin De Bruyne.
87 – Erling Haaland has scored a goal on average every 87 minutes in the #Bundesliga; the best minutes per goal ratio of any player in the league’s history (min. 25 goals). Farewell. @OptaJoe @ManCity pic.twitter.com/Yah778Sp0g
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) May 10, 2022
Haaland is set to officially join the Premier League side in July after Manchester City reportedly triggered the release clause in his Dortmund contract. Initial reports suggested that the clause is worth €75 million, but BBC Sport’s Simon Stone reports that City will only pay €60 million for one of football’s most highly coveted players.
Haaland first made international headlines when he scored nine goals in Norway’s runaway 12-0 victory over Honduras at the U-20 World Cup in May 2019. Then 18, the striker scored four times before the half and added five in the second.
Red Bull Salzburg had already signed the talented Norwegian by then. He ripped up the Champions League in his debut season, scoring in each of his first five appearances in the group stage. He spent just two seasons with Salzburg, opting to leave for Dortmund in December 2019 amid reported interest from Manchester United and Juventus.
Haaland continued to flourish into one of the sport’s top players at Dortmund. The 21-year-old – who’s set to form the sport’s next great individual rivalry with French star and World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe – has 85 goals in 88 appearances for the German club.
He joins a City team that is already one of the most prolific in world football.
City had spent the last year searching for a long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero, who left on a free transfer last summer before retiring at 33 years old with a heart-related issue. The reigning champions reportedly offered £100 million for Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane following reports last May that the 28-year-old wanted to leave the north London side. Ultimately, Tottenham decided to reject all bids under £150 million for Kane, who had recently renewed his contract until June 2024.
City entered the current season with Gabriel Jesus as the only recognizable center-forward in their ranks. Instead, Guardiola relied on false nines and goals from midfield to keep his side competitive. Even without a defined striker, City have scored a Premier League-leading 89 goals this season, more than they totaled the previous campaign.
They’ll look even scarier with Haaland, a towering figure at 6-foot-4 who can dominate the penalty area and lead counterattacks with devastating pace. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Alf-Inge, who played briefly for City from 2000-03.
