In 2014, Ciro Immobile joined Borussia Dortmund at the age of 24, fresh off a 22-goal season with Torino. Despite this impressive track record, he significantly failed to meet the high expectations placed upon him at the German club.
Sven Mislintat (53), former Technical Director at Borussia Dortmund, continues to express astonishment over how Ciro Immobile (36), a prolific Serie A top scorer, became such an expensive transfer disappointment at BVB. Mislintat, now Sporting Director at second-division club Fortuna Düsseldorf, described the situation as «virtually impossible.»
In 2014, Immobile transferred from FC Torino to Dortmund for €18.5 million, with the challenging task of replacing a departing star. Mislintat, who served as BVB’s chief scout at the time, reflected on the decision: «After Robert Lewandowski’s departure in 2014, we adopted a different recruitment strategy for his replacement. We signed Ciro Immobile, Serie A’s top scorer, believing we were making a safe bet. He was phenomenal in Italy both before and after his spell with us, yet he completely failed to perform for Dortmund. It truly feels impossible, especially considering his scoring prowess.»
Under the management of Jürgen Klopp, BVB had reached the Champions League final just a year earlier. The club’s usual transfer policy focused on acquiring young, high-potential players. However, Lewandowski’s free transfer to Bayern Munich prompted a significant shift in this established recruitment philosophy.
Mislintat Confirms: BVB Also Considered Sadio Mané
Mislintat explained, «Having lost Lewandowski, we felt compelled to sign a player beyond reproach. That same year, Sadio Mané transferred from Salzburg to Southampton. He was definitely on our radar, but we ultimately chose a top scorer from a top-five European league over one from the comparatively weaker Austrian league.»
Mané flourished at Southampton, eventually moving to Liverpool in 2016 where he reunited with Klopp and transformed into one of Europe’s premier forwards. Mislintat lamented, «Our established strategy dictated that we should have signed Sadio. It’s a path we later successfully returned to with players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembélé.»
Mislintat’s conclusion: «Despite popular belief, certainty cannot be bought in football transfers.»
Ciro Immobile Departs BVB After Just One Season
Immobile’s tenure at Borussia lasted a mere year. He struggled to adapt to Dortmund’s playing style, the pace of the Bundesliga, and his renowned goal-scoring ability vanished. Furthermore, he failed to build rapport with his teammates, famously stating that no one had invited him to dinner in his first eight months. He concluded, «Germans are cold; there’s nothing you can do about it.»
The striker then moved to FC Sevilla on loan in 2015, with the Andalusian club making the transfer permanent for €11 million a year later. Immobile, who would go on to be Serie A’s top scorer four times and win the European Golden Shoe in 2020 as Europe’s most prolific striker, subsequently had successful spells with Torino and Lazio. He was also a member of Italy’s Euro 2020 (played in 2021) winning squad.
Ciro Immobile’s BVB Statistics
| Appearances | 34 |
| Full 90-minute appearances | 10 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 |