Borussia Dortmund have formally introduced Nils-Ole Book as their new sporting director, with the 40-year-old outlining his ambition to restore the club to title contention. Book arrives from 2.Bundesliga side SV Elversberg, where a special release clause was inserted into his contract specifically for a potential move to Dortmund, the club he supported as a child.
Growing up in Beckum, less than thirty minutes from Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, Book revealed his lifelong fandom for the club, citing former midfielders Andy Möller and Tomáš Rosický as childhood idols. In an interview with the Deutsche Fußball Liga, he explained the unique clause that facilitated his move. "My confidant, the president [Frank Holzer], knew exactly what the situation would be if Dortmund got in touch," Book said. "Because this is a special club for me, there was also this special clause for it."
Book's appointment follows a period of internal change at Dortmund, which saw the departure of former sporting director Sebastian Kehl. Despite the backdrop, Book has maintained a low profile, emphasizing that his initial focus has been on integration rather than public pronouncements. He acknowledged the scale of the operation at Dortmund compared to Elversberg, where he built a strong reputation over several years, but stressed the universal principles of his role. "At the end of the day, in Elversberg it was also a long process to put everything together," Book said. "Here, the situation is certainly that there are more employees and the structures are somewhat different. But at the beginning, you always have to work your way in a little."
The new sporting director has already begun building key relationships, describing his working dynamic with head coach Niko Kovač as "very good" and looking forward to collaborating with CEO Lars Ricken and advisor Matthias Sammer. His primary sporting objective is to build upon the defensive solidity Kovač instilled this season, which saw Dortmund comfortably secure Champions League qualification, while enhancing the team's attacking potency. "Given the low number of goals conceded, that is likely to be in attack," Book analyzed. "Maybe we can add a little more creativity and optimise the composition of the attacking play a bit."
Book's vision involves a balanced transfer strategy of maintaining the squad's core while selectively adding to its potential. He pointed to the team's successful Bundesliga campaign, marked by a high points average, as a stable foundation. "I firmly believe that we will build on that while also developing those elements where we all perhaps see a bit of room for improvement," he stated. With the summer transfer window approaching, Book indicated that the club now has time to deliberate and execute its plans, aiming to foster a winning mentality that becomes "addictive" for the players. His arrival marks a new chapter for Dortmund's sporting leadership, driven by a deep-seated personal connection to the club's identity and ambitions.
