Overview
- Borussia Dortmund, which parted ways with long-serving sporting chief Sebastian Kehl on Sunday, confirmed Nils-Ole Book as his successor on Monday on a contract running to 2029.
- Book arrives from second-tier SV Elversberg, where he earned a reputation for smart, low-cost recruiting and helped drive the club from the fourth tier to the 2. Bundesliga.
- The 40-year-old is due to start work this week and will be tasked first with key files such as defender Nico Schlotterbeck’s extension and planning a high-volume summer window.
- Club leaders called the change a mutual, forward-looking move, while reporting and ex-BVB adviser Matthias Sammer pointed to leadership friction and said the sides were no longer aligned.
- Media have linked Kehl to other roles, including Hamburg, and analysts warn the timing raises operational pressure on Dortmund’s transfer strategy and contract decisions.