Beefy, strong in the air, experienced - Borussia Dortmund relies on Anthony Modeste after the month-long absence of new signing Sébastien Haller, who is suffering from a tumour.
During the tricky and urgent search, the attacker from 1. FC Köln came closest to meeting the requirements of the ambitious Revierclub. On August 8, the 34-year-old Frenchman signed a one-year contract after his medical check-up in Dortmund.
The fact that he is leaving FC for the second time with discord cannot dampen the anticipation at BVB. Sports director Sebastian Kehl described Modeste as "a seasoned professional who knows the Bundesliga very well, who scored 20 goals last season and who, with his profile, can take on exactly the role that our coach Edin Terzic envisions for BVB football." .
Modeste was willing to sign for just one year
Not only Modeste's sporting profile, who made a decisive contribution to Cologne's return to the European Cup last season, spoke in favor of a commitment. The contractual parameters also fueled BVB interest. The transfer fee for the professional, who is only tied to Cologne until 2023, is said to be manageable at five million euros and fits into the requirement of not spending more than ten million euros for the entire package. The talks were made easier by the fact that Modeste was willing to sign for just one year before Haller would be available again after recovering from his illness.
For Modeste it is the second farewell from Cologne. And as in 2017, when he surprisingly moved to China after a splendid season with 25 goals and Cologne's entry into the Europa League, he drew the displeasure of many fans in the cathedral city. "You have to ask him why he really wants to do it," said FC managing director Christian Keller after the 3-1 Bundesliga opener against FC Schalke 04, where Modeste was no longer part of the squad for a short time: "But he can Playing in the Champions League. And he certainly earns at least no less than at FC."
"Tony did a great job for FC"
Modeste said in the BVB announcement that he was "very grateful to 1. FC Köln for the wonderful and successful time" and explained his step: "BVB's offer gave me a unique opportunity at my age, also in to play in the Champions League and to be able to prove myself at the highest level." Keller also struck a conciliatory note in farewell: "Tony has done great things for FC. That will remain, must not be forgotten and we are very grateful to him for that," he said in a club statement.
At the end of last season, Modeste had repeatedly affirmed his love for FC and the city, although he actually wanted to go to Saudi Arabia in winter. In addition, he always had his advisors on the lookout for alternatives. "I hope my advisor is active. If I score 20 goals and he's not active, I have to talk to him," Modeste explained at the training camp. Nevertheless, he was celebrated by the fans at the season opener two weeks ago.
Baumgart: "We came through the collective last year"
Whether Modeste will return to FC after a temporary job at BVB remains open for the time being. The media had reported repeatedly and unchallenged that he had a five-year follow-up contract as a youth coach for the period after his actual contract ended in 2023. "I've also heard a lot about the affiliation contract. It looks a bit different afterwards when you read what's in it," commented Keller.
The follow-up agreement may only apply to a continuous stay until the actual end of the contract in 2023. Keller did not want to finally close the door: "Tony is an identity figure for 1. FC Köln, and if he wants to come back to FC at some point, then we'll definitely think about it ."
Coach Steffen Baumgart now wants to create a defiant reaction in his team. "It often annoyed me last year that it was all about him," said the FC coach. "We will not argue that we will definitely miss him in one situation or another just because we won without him. But we are going down the path now with people who want to go with him 100 percent. We were over the collective last year came, and we will this year too." Against Schalke, his team had a total of 30 shots on goal - more than in any game with Modeste last season.
