German football legend Lothar Matthaus has urged Youssoufa Moukoko to stay at Borussia Dortmund. Newcastle United are among a host of clubs that have been linked with the 18-year-old wonderkid in recent weeks.
Nerves are starting to ramp up in Dortmund as Moukoko’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season. Signing one of the continent’s best-emerging talents would be a coup for the Magpies as Dan Ashworth bids to bolster a previously-neglected youth setup on Tyneside.
BVB sporting director Hans-Joachim Watzke admitted last week he could halt attempts to keep the forward at the Westfalenstadion. Moukoko is still receiving a youth-team salary and Newcastle would reportedly offer 36x that amount.
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“It is legitimate that he is now trying to get a good position for himself,” he said. “But it is just as legitimate that we have our ideas and if that is not congruent, then the cooperation will just not be continued.”
Dortmund are renowned for producing elite-level talents and several stars have made the move to England in recent times. Jadon Sancho joined Manchester United in 2021 while Erling Haaland completed a big-money move to Manchester City last summer. Jude Bellingham, too, is continually linked with a return to his native country.
Sitting third in the Premier League while yielding a bottomless pit of wealth provides Newcastle, for the first time in years, a strong hand to sign top prospects. However, former World Cup winner Matthaus has warned his compatriot about the dangers of joining Newcastle.
“If Moukoko is all about the money, I might recommend him (Moukoko) to join Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia,” he told Sky Germany. “But if he wants to further expand his still young and very promising career and wants to become a great footballer, then there is no better place for him to start than with Borussia Dortmund.
“There’s nothing he can’t get there. Fantastic fans, a healthy club, bosses and coaches who trust him and certainly a decent salary. What does he want after a few good months in the Bundesliga at Chelsea, Newcastle or anywhere else abroad at the age of 18?
“The competition is tough there. The clubs, fans and everyone else won’t have nearly as much patience or attention for him. If he doesn’t score in three games there, he’s on the bench. The competition is huge and the country and people are strange at first. I think it would be a mistake if he left BVB for the money now.”
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