Borussia Dortmund are expected to appoint David Blacha, the former head of football at SV Elversberg, in a summer move, according to a report in Ruhr Nachrichten. The 35-year-old is anticipated to reunite with Nils-Ole Book, who left Elversberg to become Dortmund's new head of scouting in March.
Book deliberately chose not to bring his long-time colleague with him immediately out of respect for their former club. However, the report indicates that Blacha is now likely to follow Book to the Westfalenstadion ahead of the next campaign. This potential appointment aligns with earlier speculation noted by German publication Kicker in early April.
The pair developed a strong working relationship during their time together at the Saarland-based club. Their collaboration is credited with playing a significant role in Elversberg's recent success, which saw them come close to achieving promotion to the Bundesliga and currently has them sitting fourth in the 2.Bundesliga table.
Blacha's career progression at Elversberg saw him rise from a scouting role to the position of head of football, giving him broad experience in player identification and squad planning. The specific role he is being lined for within Dortmund's sporting structure remains undecided, according to the Ruhr Nachrichten report.
For Dortmund, this move represents a continued investment in their backroom staff, following the high-profile appointment of Book. Bringing in a trusted confidant for the new head of scouting is seen as a way to ensure a smooth implementation of their revised recruitment strategy. For Blacha, the transfer marks a significant step up to a club with consistent Champions League ambitions and greater resources.
The potential arrival of Blacha would further solidify the new scouting and recruitment team tasked with supporting sporting director Sebastian Kehl. It signals Dortmund's intent to build a cohesive off-field unit to identify and develop talent, a crucial area for the club's model of competing with wealthier rivals in the Bundesliga and Europe.
