Konstantelias drama at Borussia Dortmund: Why an unfortunate £45 million duo cannot help

Borussia Dortmund’s decision-makers have become admirably consistent when questions come up about new signings amid the near-daily transfer rumours. They say nothing. Carsten Cramer, Lars Ricken, Ole Book and Niko Kovac have all stuck to that line so far, despite plenty of justified attempts from the media.

There is naturally more to say when the subject is players already in the BVB squad. Kovac’s press conference ahead of the opening DFB Cup game at Oberliga side HEBC Hamburg on Monday drifted a few times into the absurd social media reaction to Samuele Inacio’s supposedly nasty bottle throw towards the Dortmund crest after his red card against HSV. Still, the coach did reveal something on two personnel issues that matters well beyond the immediate term from a sporting point of view.

The big question around BVB right now is obvious: how will Borussia replace new signing Giannis Konstantelias after his cruciate ligament damage? Kovac, as expected, refused to comment on a possible signing such as Jadon Sancho. For a while, a permanent move for Marcel Regula from Polish top-flight side Zaglebie Lubin appeared to be taking shape, but there is now said to be an agreement over a loan until the end of the season for Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri.

On one point, though, Kovac was more open: who could feature in the cup tie and possibly beyond in the left half-space attacking role.

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Replacement for Giannis Konstantelias: who is under consideration at BVB?

Fabio Silva is one possible option. The striker is enduring a tough time at BVB even at the start of his second season. The Portuguese is mostly used from the bench and stands no chance against Serhou Guirassy, who is firmly in Kovac’s good books. As in the winter transfer window, transfer rumours are circulating around him, this time also fuelled by Silva’s own statements.

"I don’t know what will happen. Of course I want to start more games and help the team. I want to be even more important. If I say anything else, I would be lying. I always tell the truth," Silva recently explained after the lost Super Cup against Bayern Munich (2-1), when he scored Dortmund’s only goal.

Saturday brought another setback when he stayed on the bench for the full 2-0 win against HSV. Silva looked frustrated and irritated afterwards, while sporting director Book virtually ruled out the 24-year-old leaving. Ricken said of Silva’s complicated situation: "That a player is then not 100 per cent happy is part of football. Ultimately, though, we are a team and everyone can play their part. Fabio cannot be criticised for that at all. We said weeks ago that no player here should feel they have to leave the club as quickly as possible."

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Niko Kovac on Fabio Silva: "If we change that as well now ..."

Konstantelias’ injury and Inacio’s dismissal might appear to boost Silva’s chances of starting. Kovac does not see it that way, as he made clear on Monday. "We did it from time to time last season as well," he said about Silva’s previous appearances in that position, before adding: "Although this season we already have a lot of players in these two half positions. If we now change that as well in order to make some sort of space for him there, then it becomes a bit difficult."

Kovac then continued: "Especially as we would then only have one striker up front. That is why I do believe he will continue to be the one who will form the strike partnership up front with Serhou and the others - and we have several of them - then play in these so-called half positions."

His big problem so far is that in only ten starts he was nowhere near as convincing as in the 30 matches in which he came on as a substitute. In those appearances, the one-cap international has impressed with his work rate, commitment and sharp dynamism, often changing the rather static nature of BVB’s play.

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Carney Chukwuemeka: yet another injured alternative

Ten of Silva’s eleven goal involvements for Dortmund have therefore come as a substitute. If Kovac is to be believed, that is unlikely to change. Only last week, he said of Silva: "He knows his role in the team. Serhou Guirassy is our number one striker. He is the challenger."

Carney Chukwuemeka, another signing from last summer, is dealing with a similarly sobering situation, albeit for different reasons. He has missed BVB’s last three matches.

Once again, ominous muscular problems are holding him back, with the club offering no more precise explanation. In pre-season, the Austria international managed only one and a half halves, and his last appearance came more than three weeks ago.

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What did Niko Kovac say about Carney Chukwuemeka as a Konstantelias replacement?

Chukwuemeka would be an alternative to Konstantelias, according to Kovac. "There are certainly several players who can fill this position - and that includes Carney. Every individual gives this position something, because we cannot say that we have five players who are like Delias. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I see several players there." For the coach, Chukwuemeka has "played his best games in this position and ultimately that is where I see him as well".

Fitness remains the problem, and for Kovac it is non-negotiable. "He has to work on his fitness and get there so that he can get the Bundesliga minutes as well." That still looks a very long road: in 55 games for BVB so far, Chukwuemeka has averaged 29 minutes on the pitch. He has started only 12 times, and has lasted the full game just once, in last April’s 2-1 defeat in Hoffenheim. It was the first time in his career that Chukwuemeka was on the pitch at both kick-off and the final whistle.

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Fabio Silva and Carney Chukwuemeka: £45 million in fees for little return

BVB have invested just under €45 million in Silva and Chukwuemeka, and the return so far has been wildly disproportionate. Konstantelias’ absence changes the personnel situation, but not Kovac’s basic thinking. Silva remains Guirassy’s understudy. Chukwuemeka, a long-term patient, first has to get fit.

So the apparent opening on the left only looks encouraging for the pair at first glance. Whether that changes soon will depend in part on how long Borussia have to improvise in the left half-space role. There is a strong chance Kovac will start with Inacio in the cup and with Maximilian Beier in the league against Hoffenheim at the weekend.

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