New name and new focus: Jamie Gittens ready to be Borussia Dortmund's next breakout star
Finally determined for this to be his breakout season after years of injury struggles, Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens is keeping things simple - including when it comes to the name on the back of his shirt.
For the 2024/25 campaign, the Englishman will keep his trademark number 43, but drop the "Bynoe" from his double-barreled last name.
"Both are the names of my father, but he said that he thinks it's better if I'm only called Gittens because it's shorter,” he explained. “Most people know him as Gittens, so I'll only play with Gittens too in the future.”
It’s not just in regards to his name where the 20-year-old is taking a new approach; it is his whole outlook for the new campaign.
"I'm on the ball to make something happen but also to play simply,” he said. “Not to dribble into any spaces. Simple passes, strong pressing, good defending and patience when I press."
The upcoming season will be Gittens’ fourth since debuting for Borussia Dortmund as a 16-year-old, and the next premier youth talent ready to earn his stripes at the Signal Iduna Park.
Gittens follows a long line of elite prospects to learn their craft at BVB, following Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham to name just a few. Like two of those, he’s also English, stepping away from the Manchester City academy to make the step up in the Bundesliga.
Watch: The best of Gittens
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However, despite the reputation as the next big thing, which still stands to this day, it’s been a tough start for the artist formerly known as ‘JBG’, as multiple injuries have hampered his short career so far. Among the London-born star’s issues have been two shoulder operations, limiting his appearances just when he was expected to break through.
That’s all changed now, though, with Gittens essentially fully available since November last year - just a month after signing a new contract - and the results came through quickly.
In his first game back since a lay-off, the winger set up Niclas Füllkrug in a 2-0 comeback win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, and the striker then returned the favour for a 4-2 turnaround. Next time out it was his first Champions League goal, coming against Italian giants AC Milan, seeing BVB top their ‘Group of Death’ before heading to the final.
Speaking post-match, Füllkrug commented: “He still has room for improvement in his decision-making, but he is always dangerous for the opponent. We know that we don't have to support him in one-on-one situations. It's worth its weight in gold to have a player like that in the team and we'll be happy if he continues like this."
"It's a special story, he's an explosive player," former head coach Edin Terzić added. "He's been having cramps lately and was very exhausted the day after the game. But now he's built up a foundation.”
Watch: Gittens stars in Dortmund's 4-2 comeback
From those foundations, Gittens continued his run in the side, and although he dropped to the bench to make way for Sancho and Karim Adeyemi on the wings later in the season, it was clear that things were finally going in the right direction.
After a brief holiday, he’s picked up where he finished in pre-season, and has arguably been Dortmund’s best player over the summer with a number of goals and key moments.
"For me personally, it's another step forward,” he said after his latest heroics against Villarreal. “To be available and not to be injured for the majority of the matches. That's a big thing because when you're available, you can always play. I learned a lot throughout the last season, namely to be patient, to learn from others when I play and to wait my turn.
"I go to the gym as often as possible in order to have fewer injuries. I would like to score more goals and get more goals and assists than last season. And hopefully we will win a title as a team."
That final comment will have provoked many smiles, but BVB fans have been stung before with young talents quickly moving on and breaking their hearts. However, unlike his predecessors, Gittens conducted that interview in German, and went on to win more plaudits by calling Dortmund “The best city in Germany".
Watch: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Villarreal - highlights
He added: "Even in the more difficult phases with injuries, I have always felt the club's belief and trust. I feel incredibly comfortable in this team, in this city, in this stadium.”
The feeling is mutual, too, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl, the man who handed him a new long-term contract, discussing his star of pre-season in glowing terms.
"His performance was exemplary of the fact that he has set himself some goals for the new season," the club legend said after the draw with Villarreal. "We need Jamie with his quality. He will be an important player for us. He’s a character who’s very positive, but also obsessed with improving. We see his abilities every day in training.”
All of those comments, combined with nine months of hard work, suggest this could well be Gittens’ season, and it looks like new head coach Nuri Şahin will have no choice other than to start the winger after calling him “brutally good at one-on-ones.”
And for Gittens, his mindset certainly isn’t lagging either, again keeping it simple when asked if this will be his breakout season.
"You never know what will happen,” he replied. “But I'm confident and I'd like to say yes."
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