MUNICH: Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has ended his tenure “by mutual consent”, the club said in a statement released Sunday.
Lars Ricken, Dortmund’s board member for sport- a position above Kehl’s in the hierarchy- said the decision came after a “very open discussion”.
“(We) came to the shared conclusion that the summer is the right time for changes. To allow both sides to prepare, we mutually agreed to an immediate termination of Sebastian’s contract,” Ricken said in a statement.
After retiring in 2015, Kehl joined the club in a player management role before taking over as sporting director in 2022.
“Sebastian has made an enormous contribution to our club, and we are very grateful for his great commitment,” said Ricken.
Under Kehl, 46, Dortmund has gradually moved away from a model of signing and selling younger talents towards bringing in established players, with mixed results.
Without a trophy in Kehl’s tenure, only a final-day collapse stopped Dortmund from winning the 2022-23 Bundesliga and the club made the Champions League final a season later, going down to Real Madrid. Agencies
Also Read: Borussia Dortmund secure Brazilian teenager Prates on long-term deal