Coach Jan Siewert's men have been sweating again since Wednesday in preparation for the coming Regional League season. It begins early, at the end of July. Consequently, the summer holidays are over for the newly formed outfit at BVB.

Jan Siewert and his training staff were able to welcome sixteen new faces. Alongside new signings Marco Rente and Mory Konate from Erndtebrück, Joseph Boyamba from Wattenscheid, Kempes Tekiela from Rhynern and Marc-Andre Kositzki from Wehen-Wiesbaden, additions progressing from the club's own U19 squad come in the form of Dominik Wanner, Alexander Schulte, Luca Kilian, Tim Sechelmann, Julian Schwermann, Jonas Hupe and Niklas Beste. The squad is currently comprised of 33 players; it is very likely that there will be further activity.

However, Ingo Preuß, the sporting director of the U23s who has been in the business a long time now, knows how difficult it is to integrate such a lot of players and to plan the squad. In recent years, players who were still young have often left BVB at short notice. As a result, he must always factor in players who have not come through the club's own youth set-up.

Bockhorn extends contract by three years

BVB concluded another three-year contract yesterday, this time with Herbert Bockhorn. The professional is looking forward to three more years at BVB and still has much he wishes to accomplish: "I want to become a key player and develop further as an individual." Moreover, coach Jan Siewert was able to greet a familiar face from last season this Friday. Evangilos Pavlidis' loan from VfL Bochum has been extended by another year!

Sauerland to Braunschweig, Serra to Kiel

By contrast, David Sauerland is set to leave BVB. He will play for Eintracht Braunschweig in the coming season, the club having been relegated from Germany's second division. The loaned striker Janni Serra is also northward bound, and will ply his trade as a goal-getter for Holstein Kiel. Borussia Dortmund had already parted company with a few players on the last day of last season. They will subsequently turn out for new clubs to demonstrate their footballing prowess. Borussia Dortmund pays thanks to Dominik Reimann (Holstein Kiel), Patrick Mainka (FC Heidenheim), Michael Eberwein (Fortuna Köln), Jonas Arweiler (FC Utrecht), Junior Flores (destination unknown), Paterson Chato (destination unknown) and Armin Pjetrovic (destination unknown) for their efforts in a black and yellow kit, and wishes them every success for the future!

There is still the training camp in the Kitzbühel Alps to come before the Regional League season gets underway on the last weekend of July. Among others, the team is due to play MSV Duisburg. The first opportunity to see the new boys in action will be on 30.06.2018. The first preseason friendly will be played in Bad Iburg against the U23s of VfL Osnabrück.

Timo Lammert / Jens Volke