'It takes time!' - Borussia Dortmund chief explains last-minute deal to sign Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea

Chukwuemeka was joined by Aaron Anselmino, snapped up on a straight loan deal without a purchase clause, while Fabio Silva also arrived from Wolves in a €22.5m (£19.5m/$26m) transfer. The triple swoop has injected fresh energy into Dortmund’s squad, but Kehl admitted the path to those deals was far from smooth.

Kehl pulled no punches when describing the frustrations of negotiating with clubs across the Channel.

“Transfers in the Bundesliga are generally a bit easier,” he said. “We’ve now dealt with clubs that aren’t necessarily dependent on money. This changes the negotiating position dramatically. And I have to say: the English are often pain-free. They sometimes deliberately enter the final phase of the transfer window because they know that, given their financial resources, they can rest assured that a potential domino effect will follow. So, we had to be patient in order to be able to negotiate.”

Chelsea were determined to squeeze maximum value from a player they picked up for significantly less. That left Dortmund waiting until late August before they could strike. 

“Of course, I could also fly to Chelsea in July, sit down with the bosses, and make the €20 million offer for Chukwuemeka,” Kehl added. “But then they’d probably say, ‘You can fly home immediately!’ It takes time and a clear strategy to implement your ideas. And it also requires a clear commitment from the player.”

For Chukwuemeka, the move represents a fresh opportunity to establish himself after a stop-start period in England. With Chelsea opting to cash in, Dortmund are confident the youngster can step up and provide the midfield spark they’ve been craving. He will look to impress once Bundesliga action resumes after the international break when Dortmund face Heidenheim on September 13.