The defining story of Borussia Dortmund's summer has ended in disappointment. Sport director Lars Ricken confirmed to the Funke Mediengruppe that the club will not pursue Said El Mala any further, stating the 19-year-old "will not become a Borussia Dortmund player this summer" after Cologne rejected their final offer. Business director Carsten Cramer framed the decision as one of financial discipline, but the collapse of weeks of negotiations leaves BVB with real work still to do before the Bundesliga season begins.

The failed pursuit matters because it exposes genuine gaps in the squad. As noted in GOAL's coverage, Dortmund still need a right-back following Yan Couto's loan departure to Como, and a commanding central midfielder capable of controlling games. With the El Mala budget now freed up, the club has greater flexibility to address multiple positions rather than committing record-breaking fees to one player. Barcelona's Hector Fort has been linked as a right-back option, while a loan move for that position also remains possible.

On the pitch, the mood from pre-season is more positive. A 3-2 win over Arsenal provided genuine encouragement, with injury-prone centre-back Filippo Mane earning strong praise from both Ricken and coach Niko Kovac after an outstanding performance. Mane has emerged as one of the standout players of pre-season, pushing ahead of Luca Reggiani in the defensive pecking order. The squad also has depth concerns at the back, with Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can both currently sidelined. Dortmund host Roma on Saturday in their next friendly, before the competitive season arrives.