Sporting director Michael Zorc (l.) is keen for 16-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko (r.) to have the chance to grow at Borussia Dortmund. - © via www.imago-images.de/imago images/MIS

bundesliga

"We don't want to bring in anyone ahead of Youssoufa Moukoko" - Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc

16.12.2020

Erling Haaland may currently be injured but Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has ruled out buying a new striker during the winter transfer window, saying the club "don't want to bring in anyone ahead of Youssoufa Moukoko".

Haaland has been ruled out of action until 2021 due to a torn muscle fibre, and BVB have been forced to adapt in recent games, with Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Thorgan Hazard all taking turns filling the lone striker's role in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Moukoko is another option, having become the Bundesliga's youngest player of all time just the day after turning 16 in November, and the Germany youth international was given his first start under new interim head coach Edin Terzic in Dortmund's 2-1 win away to Werder Bremen on Matchday 12.

The teenager is still finding his feet at senior level and is yet to score with the pros, but Zorc insists he is one of the reasons why the club do not feel the need to find a back-up for Haaland on the transfer market.

"We want to nurture Youssoufa and not bring in anyone ahead of him," the Dortmund sporting director told kicker. "We hope that he'll be given playing time in the coming weeks and months because in training he"s already shown that he can be ready."

Moukoko has so far enjoyed 157 minutes of Bundesliga action spread across five games. He covered 5.3 miles (8.52km) in his 80 minutes on the pitch against Bremen, having one shot on goal and completing 78 per cent of all his passes.