Ilkay Gundogan setting the pace for Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga

Pacesetters for the opening two weekends of the Bundesliga season, Borussia Dortmund are approaching the end of the transfer window with unusual optimism. Much of that can be credited to creative midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

Ilkay Gundogan of Borussia Dortmund is challenged by Oliver Berg of Odd the UEFA Europa League Play-Off Round 2nd Leg match at Signal Iduna Park on August 27, 2015 in Dortmund, Germany. Lars Baron / BShow more

Pacesetters for the opening two weekends of the Bundesliga season, Borussia Dortmund are approaching the end of the transfer window with unusual optimism. They have become familiar with losing key men every summer, players lured elsewhere by higher salaries. The last two years, it has been Bayern Munich, who snatched Mario Gotze and then Robert Lewandowski, and made Dortmund’s rivalry with them more unbalanced as a result. Supporters and management had feared the creative midfielder Ilkay Gundogan would be next.

Staying put

Earlier this summer, Gundogan extended his Dortmund contract to 2017. It appeared to be a sttatement of belonging to the club where his career has soared since he joined from Nuremburg four years ago. But in some minds it was a tepid commitment because the new deal added only a year to his existing agreement. Hence the whistles from a minority of Dortmund supporters who turned up at the presentation of the squad to fans at the Westfalen Stadium in July. Gundogan, admired by Barcelona, Bayern Munich and apparently by Manchester United, was still one of theirs but had cast a glance elsewhere. The disapproval, the player later said: “was a little warning”.

Tuchel’s trust

Dortmund lost one big name in the close-season – coach Jurgen Klopp, who drove them to two titles in seven seasons. But new coach Thomas Tuchel has made a strong first impression and his talks with Gundogan were apparently key to the midfielder choosing to stay. Tuchel emphasised how he sees Gundogan as the hub of Dortmund’s passing game and will ensure he has a ball-winner close to him to ensure he can maximise his strengths in distribution.

International ambitions

Gundogan was also persuaded to commit to Dortmund because being in a team he knew, alongside colleagues who know him, gives him his best chance of reminding Germany coach, Joachim Loew, of his assets. A back injury denied him almost the whole domestic season in 2013/14, plus the first two months of 2014/15 and cost him a place in the World Cup-winning squad of last summer. Gundogan, who won his first cap in 2011, is targeting a starting place for Germany at Euro 2016. He has begun this campaign with resolve, a star performer in Dortmund’s two 4-0 Bundesliga wins and on the score sheet in Thursday’s 7-2 walloping of Odds in the Europa League. Tomorrow, he takes on Hertha Berlin, with a chance to finish the weekend top of the table.

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