Ever since Jadon Sancho lit up the Westfalenstadion in the Yellow and Black of Borussia Dortmund, English football fans have started to pay closer attention to who else could be emerging from the ranks at Dortmund. Jude Bellingham was the next to establish himself as one of Europe’s most exciting prospects during his three-year spell at the club before he earned a €100m move to Real Madrid.
However, with those names now in the past, it is 19-year-old Jamie Bynoe-Gittens who could soon be on his way to stardom. Despite breaking into the Dortmund side last season with 20 appearances in all competitions, recurrent injuries hampered the youngsters’ development.
Nevertheless, after biding his time so far this season, Bynoe-Gittens is starting to prove why he could be the next English superstar coming out of the Westfalenstadion. With Dortmund struggling for consistency this season, Edin Terzić has looked to rely on the more experienced players in the squad to offer stability.
Regardless, while the likes of Mats Hummels and Marco Reus have been able to roll back the years, BvB have failed to build upon their previous campaign. With Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi struggling to rekindle the form they displayed last season, Terzić’s side have struggled to maintain their dominance in the Bundesliga.
Between matchdays eight and eleven, Dortmund were only able to pick up just four points from a possible twelve, and humiliating performances against Bayern Munich and Stuttgart left many concerned about the trajectory of the club. However, against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, Bynoe-Gittens highlighted why he needs to be utilised more under Terzić.
A breathtaking performance from the 19-year-old in just his third start of the season saw Dortmund claw their way back from a disastrous first 30 minutes at home to Die Fohlen. A goal and an assist before the interval set Dortmund on the path to a much-needed three points.
Nevertheless, his excellence would not stop there, as against AC Milan on Tuesday evening, Bynoe-Gittens’ quality and confidence saw him win a penalty, which Reus duly dispatched before he reinstated Dortmund’s lead before the hour mark. As well as this, with 1.4 dribbles per game, no other player in the BvB squad can boast a better return, emphasising the offensive flair he brings to a rather lacklustre Dortmund attack.
While the Englishman is far from the finished product, he has undoubtedly proven why he deserves more game time this season. A place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the upcoming European Championship seems unlikely, but if he can continue his form, then those in his homeland will be calling for his name.
GGFN | Will Shopland
