Dortmund has a new sporting director. © ANSA / CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF

New sporting director: Dortmund surprises

Surprise in Dortmund: Nils-Ole Book (40) will be the new sporting director at Borussia Dortmund.

March 23, 2026

From: apa/det

The former sporting director of second-division runners-up SV Elversberg will succeed Sebastian Kehl and is set to receive a contract until the summer of 2029 at Borussia Dortmund, where Austrian internationals Marcel Sabitzer and Carney Chukwuemeka are under contract. The German Bundesliga club announced this just one day after parting ways with Kehl.

“We have great confidence in Ole and his expertise when it comes to developing creative and bold ideas on the transfer market,” said Dortmund’s sporting director Lars Ricken, citing as evidence Book’s work at the Saarland village club, which he had led from the regional league to the top group of the 2nd league.

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“Borussia Dortmund is a special club for me, with an emotional connection dating back to my childhood. That's not the only reason I want to thank SV Elversberg, and especially Dominik Holzer, for allowing me to start my work in Dortmund right away,” said Book, who was born in Westphalia.