Hummels, Füllkrug, and their teammates are currently facing challenges following BVB's conclusion.
In the scorching summer of 2024, Borussia Dortmund faces another turbulent phase. Multiple players are departing from the club, some unwillingly. A quintet is still grappling with form and fitness, deep into the 2024-2025 campaign. Among this struggling bunch is the World Cup champion, Hummels, who is now biding his time in Rome.
They had shared the pitch for Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final, only to see their fortunes take a turn for the worst shortly after. On June 1, 2024, Mats Hummels, Niclas Füllkrug, Sebastien Haller, Marco Reus, and Youssoufa Moukoko were integral parts of the BVB squad in the most significant football match. They suffered a 0:2 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid, and soon afterward, they found themselves leaving Dortmund. Either their contracts had expired, a replacement had been called for, or their future at the Borsigplatz was uncertain.
Now, it appears that their misfortunes have only multiplied. Mats Hummels, a prominent figure in the Dortmund team the previous year, had sealed his fate with his controversial remarks about former BVB coach Edin Terzic. Instead of a contract renewal, he was handed an unending vacation enjoying the summer sun.
When this vacation finally came to an end, the defender was faced with an abundance of offers, but he hesitated for so long that all the clubs had already finalized their preparations. He has since been a part of AS Roma's squad for almost two months without stepping onto the field. Daniele de Rossi, his coach at the time of his arrival, was soon replaced by Ivan Jurić, who left Hummels on the bench for 90 minutes during their Europa League encounter against Dynamo Kyiv last Thursday. Over the past seven matches, he has been included in the squad, but has yet to take the field. The audience cheers him on during warm-ups, but De Rossi remains cryptic, assigning responsibility for Hummels' lack of playing time, and praising his exemplary behavior.
Füllkrug in England already warming the bench?
Hummels often jests about having more Champions League Team of the Season awards than minutes played on the field. He recently received this trophy courtesy of Dortmund and proudly flaunted it online. But trophies are only earned on the field, which the soon-to-be 36-year-old hasn't set foot on in nearly five months. Thus, his social media posts tend to feature him in training gear, featuring motivational quotes. He assures himself, "Someday it will happen again," but "someday" is never "today."
Niclas Füllkrug's latest appearance is not much farther in the past than Hummels'. He had played a crucial role in scoring goals that propelled Dortmund to the Champions League final, but it wasn't enough for the club. The former Bremen and national team striker had bid farewell to Borussia Dortmund during the summer break, with West Ham paying around 27 million euros for the 31-year-old. Guirassy was already a part of the team.
Soon after his move to England, Füllkrug sustained an injury during a national team game in early September and has been out of action since. He is sorely missed at the crisis-ridden club in London, with reports suggesting a potential replacement in the upcoming winter transfer window. After only three appearances, his future in England is already up in the air.
Reus in MLS, far from his former glory
This is not yet the case for Marco Reus in the United States. The ex-BVB captain had not received a contract offer during the summer and subsequently joined the Los Angeles Galaxy, not for the money. Contrary to Europe, the salaries of MLS professionals are publicly disclosed in the USA, and the world star Reus finds himself at the bottom of the list, earning just over 1.2 million US dollars annually.
While this is a far cry from the highest-paid German MLS player, Nashville's Hany Mukhtar, who earns 5.2 million US dollars annually, Reus is also ahead of former Hertha star, Eduard Low, who takes home 1.3 million US dollars at St. Louis FC, or last season's second-division champion, Marcel Hartel, who pockets nearly twice that amount, 2.2 million US dollars, in St. Louis. So far, things are going reasonably well for Reus, but far from spectacular. He has managed six appearances with a single goal and two assists before the MLS playoffs.
Sébastien Haller's loan to Leganes has thus far resulted in six appearances without involving him in any goals for the struggling side at the bottom of the Spanish first division. The former wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko, loaned to OGC Nice, is also facing a challenging season. Although he has already played in eight games, he rarely gets to play for more than a few minutes. He has left a more lasting impression with missed opportunities and a brace in an 8-0 rout of AS Saint-Etienne. Since then, Nice has yet to secure a win. The press has been harsh in its critique of the soon-to-be 20-year-old, showering him with criticism since his arrival.
Despite his struggles in Rome, Mats Hummels continues to maintain a positive attitude, often sharing motivational quotes and training photos on social media. Meanwhile, Niclas Füllkrug's move to West Ham has been marred by injury, leaving his future in England uncertain after only three appearances.
