Chelsea have decided to bring Aaron Anselmino back from his loan at Borussia Dortmund, and the Bundesliga club are very angry about the timing of the decision. Reports out of Germany say that the move has caused a lot of frustration within Dortmund because there was no warning ahead of time.
The 20-year-old Argentine defender played 10 times for Dortmund during the first half of his season-long loan. Meanwhile, Chelsea are keeping an eye on the center-back market as they try to improve their defense. However, there is only one week left before the February 2 transfer deadline, and their first move in that direction during the January window was to bring back Anselmino.
German outlet Bild says that Dortmund’s leaders were surprised by Chelsea’s decision because there had been “no signals whatsoever” in the weeks leading up to the end of the loan. The timing has made it hard for the German side to find a replacement, but several sources say that Dortmund will not be looking for a defensive signing in this window.
Anselmino impressed manager Niko Kovac at Signal Iduna Park when he was available, but he missed a lot of playing time due to two muscle injuries. Dortmund issued a short statement confirming the recall, saying they “regret Anselmino’s sudden departure” and thanking him for his work.
Dortmund are said to be well covered at centre-back, even though they lost Anselmino. They have Nico Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini, Emre Can, Niklas Sule, and Filippo Mane. The club had planned to loan Mane out this month, but that doesn’t seem likely now.
In August 2024, Chelsea bought Anselmino from Boca Juniors for a reported £15.6 million on a seven-year deal. They then sent him on loan to Dortmund right away. Before a decision is made about the defender’s immediate future, he will be evaluated. However, he may still be a member of manager Liam Rosenior’s first-team squad.
Chelsea’s Problem With Defense Led To Anselmino’s Recall
Chelsea want to add more defenders to their team, even though they already have eight center-backs on their books. The Premier League team want to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, but the French team don’t want to sell him in the middle of the season.
The Blues want a defender who is great with the ball and can start attacks from the central center-back position. This is especially important because Levi Colwill is out with a long-term ACL injury. Chelsea also want to make the team more physical, and Jacquet, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall, fits that bill.
Chelsea can still call back another young defender, Mamadou Sarr, from his loan at sister club Strasbourg. Meanwhile, Josh Acheampong, a 19-year-old England youth international, is expected to stay with the first team after the window closes and is not for sale.