Dortmund loan Coulibaly out again, Brest do not receive purchase option

After spending most of the summer negotiating with various clubs, Borussia Dortmund have finally officially found a locale to park 20-year-old French center back Soumaïla Coulibaly. The French youth international – recently returned from a loan stint with Antwerp – will spend the year with French Champions’ League representatives Stade Brest in his native country. Unlike in the previous arrangement, a purchase option is not part of the deal. 

“Soumi is a talented central defender and has recently made a real leap forward in the Belgian first division,” Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl remarked in a statement,  “He has also developed physically in recent months and now needs regular match practice and rhythm at a high level.”

“In Brest, he can prove himself both in Ligue 1 and on the international stage in the Champions League,” Kehl continued, “We wish Soumi the best possible development for his loan year in his home country and will be watching his performances with interest.”

Kehl’s words – and the lack of a purchase option – left no doubt that Dortmund wish to hang onto the PSG academy man. This constitutes an interesting development following a summer in which many BVB prospects were sold outright. 

Dortmund did end up giving up on striker Paris Brunner, selling the 19-year-old to AS Monaco. Additionally, after a sale to SpVgg Greuther Fürth fell apart, defensive midfield prospect Abdoulaye Kamara was sold off to Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee.