Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Kovac says the club are considering additions to their squad but refused to comment on reports linking them with a possible move for Jadon Sancho.
Dortmund are preparing to face Hebc Hamburg in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on 1 September, with Kovac also confirming that Konstantelias will miss the tie after suffering a serious injury.
“All other players are in good shape except Konstantelias, who is seriously injured and will be unavailable.”
The club do not yet know how long Konstantelias will be sidelined. Kovac said the player must undergo surgery before a clearer prognosis can be established.
“We can’t give an exact prognosis yet. We have to wait for the surgery to be completed, then monitor his recovery process. Of course, his injury is a huge blow to all of us, and we’re all shocked. I think everyone in the stadium felt that emotion after his injury. It affected not only my team but also our fans.”
Kovac said Konstantelias remains composed despite his disappointment and will continue his recovery at Borussia Dortmund, where the club’s medical, rehabilitation and fitness departments will support him.
“The lad remains calm, but I have to be honesthe’s disappointed by the injury. He believes he’ll come back stronger, and we all firmly believe that too. We’re supporting him every step of the way. He’s surrounded by reliable people here, and his family is with him. That’s lifesometimes the story is beautiful, sometimes it isn’t. It’s fifty-fifty, but we’re helping him, and when he returns, he’ll be as good as before, if not better.”
Kovac added that remaining at the club would allow Konstantelias to stay close to his team-mates and benefit from the facilities and support available at Dortmund.
“Yes. We have excellent facilities here and have successfully treated many seriously injured players. Our medical, rehabilitation, and fitness teams are doing outstanding work at the highest level. That’s why he’ll stay at Borussia Dortmund, which helps him feel the team spirit and stay connected with his teammates. It’s about social interaction and having people to support him. Of course, there will be moments of doubt and difficulty, and having family and teammates to encourage him during those times is very important.”
The Dortmund manager said Fabio Silva was likely to continue as the team’s main striker, with other attacking players covering Konstantelias’ position. He explained that the club had used a different arrangement at times last season but had more attacking midfielders and wingers available this term.
“We did that occasionally last season, but this season we have many attacking midfielders and wingers. If we change that arrangement now, it would be difficult, especially since we only have one out-and-out striker. That’s why I think Fabio Silva should continue as striker, and others will cover Konstantelias’ position.”
Chukwuemeka is among the players who could operate in the vacant role. Kovac said the midfielder had produced his best football for Dortmund in that position, although he still needed to improve his conditioning to cope with regular Bundesliga football.
“As I said, several players can play that position. Chukwuemeka is one of them, and each brings something different. We don’t have five identical playerseveryone has their own strengths and, of course, weaknesses.”
“Since joining us, Chukwuemeka has played his best football in this position. He needs to intensify his physical conditioning to reach the level required for consistent Bundesliga minutes.”
Asked specifically about the club’s interest in another player, Kovac gave no details. While he did not name Sancho, he said Dortmund were monitoring the market and remained open to strengthening their squad.
“Regarding your second question, as always, we won’t comment on that. It’s not really appropriate. I’m satisfied with our current squad, but we’re not complacent. We’re monitoring the transfer market to see if we can make additions.”
Kovac confirmed he had spoken with Lars Ricken and Ole Bork about possible activity, although neither will travel to Hamburg for the cup match.
“Yes, we’ve met and we’re always talking. Lars Ricken and Ole Bork won’t travel to Hamburg for the match; they’ll stay and continue working because time is limited. Let’s see what we can achieve. We have several options, but everything must fit togetherwe can’t just make a deal happen immediately. We had several options before, and now we need to identify the best fit.”
Dortmund have watched Hebc Hamburg two or three times. Kovac acknowledged that the club had less video material on their opponents than it would normally have for a Bundesliga side, but said the difference in league level did not alter Dortmund’s preparations.
The regional-league team qualified for the DFB-Pokal main draw by winning the state cup last season. Kovac said playing in a larger stadium would help the club generate important revenue, with about 40,000 supporters expected.
“These smaller clubs need to survive and need revenue, so playing in a bigger stadium makes sense. I expect around 40,000 spectators. There’s more space, you can smell the currywurst and other food they sellit’s part of the experience. Ultimately, we want good pitches, and these clubs need to make a living. That’s why the DFB-Pokal exists and why these teams face top opponents in the first roundthey gain a financial advantage from it.”
Dortmund will start as strong favourites, but Kovac warned that complacency could lead to an early exit.
“We’re the favorites to advance, and we want to achieve our goals. But underestimating opponents is always a risk, and we could be eliminated because of it. We can’t let that happen in the cup, regardless of who we face. We want to show every opponent the respect they deserve. Anyone who knows me knows we prepare for every opponent with the same effort we’d give a Bundesliga match. That’s why every player understands they must give their allwe want to settle the tie early.”
