Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac believes the late loan signing of Arsenal winger Nwaneri can strengthen his squad immediately, although he has not confirmed whether the England U21 international will make his debut against Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Kovac discussed the deal at his Bundesliga pre-match press conference before Dortmund’s visit to Sinsheim. The move was completed at short notice, with Nwaneri arriving from Arsenal to replace new signing Konstantelias, who is facing a long spell out after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
“This transfer alone dragged on until the early hours of the morning,” said Kovac, who is 54.
Dortmund had already been monitoring Nwaneri before the move was agreed. Kovac said the club had considered bringing in the winger during the current season, in previous months and also last season, but a deal had not been possible until now.
“We had been considering him in recent weeks and months, and last season too. It didn’t happen then, but it did this time,” Kovac explained.
The Dortmund manager said the young player had shown in training that he possessed the technical ability required to contribute quickly. Nwaneri has been learning what is expected of him at Dortmund, both when the team has possession and when it is defending.
Kovac believes that once the winger is fully familiar with those demands, he can provide an immediate option for the side.
The coach said Nwaneri is already capable of “helping immediately” after adapting to Dortmund’s requirements in and out of possession. He also highlighted the impression made by the player’s technique during his early training sessions, saying it was clear that he “knows how to handle the ball.”
However, Kovac stopped short of revealing whether Nwaneri would be included in the starting line-up for Saturday’s match in Sinsheim. His comments indicate that the winger is being considered as a potential contributor, but the Dortmund manager has not announced how he intends to use the recent arrival against Hoffenheim.
The loan signing comes after Dortmund lost Konstantelias to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Nwaneri’s arrival therefore gives Kovac another attacking option at a time when the club needed to respond to a significant injury to a new signing.
Dortmund’s interest in Nwaneri was not a fresh development, according to Kovac. The Bundesliga club had previously assessed the player and retained that interest before finally completing the move during the final stages of the transfer process.
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