Roman Bürki has had a half-year without action, his status is very unlikely to change. Now the winter transfer window is opening again.
It has become quiet around Roman Bürki. In the first half of the season, the former Dortmund regular keeper was hardly the centre of attention, certainly not from a sporting point of view. A few isolated questions from journalists here, a terse statement there that he could not sit on the bench in the virtually meaningless last Champions League group game due to an ankle injury, if he had done so at all when fit.
After all, from a sporting point of view, the first half of the current season for the Swiss keeper consisted only of training sessions, he was not nominated for the matchday squad even once – not even as the number 3 goalkeeper in the premier league. This did not come as a surprise; after the transfer of compatriot Gregor Kobel and the preceding contract extension of Marwin Hitz, the regular and substitute keeper had been decided early on, and long-time keeper Bürki was for sale.
But despite several enquiries, the 31-year-old remained in Dortmund, even a possible move to FC Basel, whose interest was recently confirmed by owner David Degen in the summer, did not materialise. After all, Bürki had only prematurely extended his contract until 2023 in June 2020 – at that time still at regular keeper conditions.
Transfer window opens – “special situation” Bürki
Now the transfer window opens again – and Bürki is still on the market. His coach Marco Rose recently congratulated his keeper on his birthday in mid-November and gave him a few words along the way. “I wish him, and I have told him this, that he gets the role again for which he was created,” said Rose: “That he finds a way for himself again athletically, where he can stand in goal and do what he likes best; where he is successful. Because I think he’s earned that.”
Of course, the coach knows that a possible transfer of Bürki would also mean more room for manoeuvre on the winter transfer market. At the same time, however, Rose emphasised the goalkeeper’s attitude: “I have to say how Roman is behaving here in his situation is exceptionally strong. He is there for the team, is ready, trains well. He creates a working atmosphere that is good. If we needed him, he would be there.”
That was not the case in the Hinrunde and a lot would have to happen in the rest of the season for Bürki to be in demand again. So the club is still interested in finding a buyer, even if sporting director Michael Zorc recently stressed that “the winter is not our transfer window”. But Bürki is a “special situation”, said Zorc: “If something comes along, we will deal with it. “
