Thorgan Hazard the centerpiece of Dortmund’s impressive business

Borussia Dortmund have had a busy start to transfer season. Their business so far looks very good.

Borussia Dortmund came agonizingly close to winning the Bundesliga title in 2018-2019, and a few smart signings early in the summer transfer window could put them in a position to compete with the high-priced signings that Bayern Munich surely have planned.

With Europe’s second-leading provider in Jadon Sancho, standout Marco Reus and the uncompromisingly efficient Paco Alcacer, Borussia Dortmund’s attack was special to watch when operating at its best. In the likes of Mario Gotze, inverted full-back Achraf Hakimi, Axel Witsel and even Christian Pulisic at the end of the season, Dortmund found solid secondary pieces to their attacking triumvirate.

But to keep up with Europe’s best teams, including rivals Bayern Munich, more talent was needed. Pulisic will make his way to Chelsea after being sold for 60 million Euros, and the spot on the left wing opposite Sancho had long been a troublesome spot for Dortmund. The team also lacked depth, as they were clearly hurt greatly whenever Reus was absent.

Already, Dortmund have taken steps to shoring up their weaknesses. They have officially signed Thorgan Hazard and Nico Schulz, with Julian Brandt reportedly set to join from Bayer Leverkusen, pending a medical.

These are three huge signings for Dortmund, and fans are buzzing at the reports that Dortmund signed both Hazard and Brandt for less than they sold Pulisic. Hazard and Brandt were both far more productive than Pulisic in 2018, and, while older, they still have untapped potential themselves.

Out of the three signings, Hazard stands out as the most important addition to Dortmund’s 2019 outfit. Though he struggled with consistency and seemed to fade in the Ruckrunde, that could be attributed more to the players around him struggling. With 10 goals and 10 assists, Hazard was one of the Bundesliga’s more productive players, and he was the creative outlet for a Borussia Monchengladbach attack whose only other notable contributors were Alassane Plea and Lars Stindl.

At Dortmund, Hazard will finally benefit from playing with similarly talented and creative players. Reus has been one of the best players in the world for years, Sancho was arguably the best player in the Bundesliga, Alcacer scored 18 goals in just 1,205 minutes and Brandt himself was third in the Bundesliga with 11 assists. Meanwhile, Gladbach’s only other player with a combined 15 goals and assists was Plea, underscoring the fact that Hazard may have been stifled on a pedestrian side.

That won’t be the case at Dortmund. Hazard’s ability to take defenders on and his intelligent passing will blossom on a team known for playing beautiful football, especially with Lucien Favre at the helm. Hazard can feature on the left or right, but he’ll immediately start on the left as a massive upgrade over Raphael Guerreiro, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Pulisic. The idea of Sancho and Hazard running at defenses is scary indeed.

This is Hazard’s chance to show fans all over Europe that he’s one of the Bundesliga’s best, and few players will stand to benefit more from a change in scenery than him. He was fifth in the league in assists, sixth in key passes and fourth in dribbles completed, per WhoScored.com. At a reported 25.5 million Euros, Hazard qualifies as a bargain deal.

Of course, he isn’t the only difference-maker of the three, as Brandt and Schulz can also redefine Dortmund’s attack. Schulz’s breakout season at Hoffenheim, the Bundesliga’s third-highest scoring team behind Bayern and Dortmund, caught everyone’s attention in Germany. His tireless work rate and dangerous low crosses will make him an intriguing part of Dortmund’s lineup.

But it is Brandt who stands out as the other acquisition on the level of Hazard. He had more assists (11) and nearly as many goals (seven) as the Belgian winger, taking full advantage of the injection of exciting football that Peter Bosz brought to Leverkusen upon his midseason appointment. Brandt and fellow central midfielder Kai Havertz put on technical master-classes as they led Bayer to a Champions League place.

With his technical ability, eye for goal and creativity, the 23-year-old German international has a chance to be a star at Dortmund for many years to come. Dortmund needed more depth in the middle of the park, and Brandt could play at either CM or CAM, depending on how Dortmund shuffle their lineup with the likes of Thomas Delaney, Mahmoud Dahoud, Witsel, Reus and Gotze. Unlike Dahoud, whose best days are also ahead of him at age 23 despite a disappointing first season, Brandt will establish himself as an every-game starter.

All three of these players will reportedly cost less than 90 million Euros, and it’s another fine example of Michael Zorc and Dortmund making smart business moves. More importantly, all three of these men bring additional class to an already-talented Dortmund side that was simply in need of more depth and creativity. In Hazard and Brandt, Dortmund have brought in two high-impact attacking players, with another talented creator in Schulz set to wreak havoc on the wings.

Will it be enough to win the Bundesliga in 2019? That could hinge on who Bayern buy, but Dortmund have certainly shown their intent to be more competitive. They didn’t even have to break the bank to do it.