Diant Ramaj, on loan from BVB to 1. FC Heidenheim, holds a negative record across Europe. The future of the 24-year-old goalkeeper is highly uncertain.
Since Ole Book took over as Sporting Director at Borussia Dortmund, there’s been much speculation about potential new signings that could fit the new regime’s strategy. However, the 40-year-old also has to deal with the players already under contract at BVB.
There are many players, but the situation for four of them is different from the rest. As it stands, the loan spells of Julien Duranville (FC Basel), Cole Campbell (1899 Hoffenheim), and Kjell Wätjen (VfL Bochum) end on June 30th. The same applies to Diant Ramaj, who was loaned to 1. FC Heidenheim, and whose profile as a goalkeeper presents a unique challenge compared to outfield players.
Borussia surprisingly signed Ramaj from Ajax Amsterdam in February 2025 and immediately loaned him back to FC Copenhagen. There, the now 24-year-old immediately impressed and won the double with the Danish club. They would have loved to keep him, but Ramaj chose to return to the Bundesliga, «to become more visible,» as he put it.
He had actually become quite visible even before that. Less than two months after his move to BVB, Ramaj gave an interview to Sport Bild. In it, he made statements that attracted attention and also caused internal irritation in Dortmund.
Diant Ramaj: A ‘Unique’ Statistic in Europe
«Among the young talents, I am number 1 — in my opinion,» he stated, adding: «I said that I am the best young goalkeeper. And I think I have proven that in the past months!» Addressing Borussia Dortmund, he conveyed: «I need to keep playing, get minutes, game experience. So, it’s clear to me: I won’t sit on the bench in Dortmund! It’s clear to me that I’m not coming to Dortmund to wait in line, to have no chance behind Gregor Kobel. I need to play.»
In this regard, Ramaj is on track. With considerable fanfare for Heidenheim’s standards, he replaced veteran Kevin Müller and has since been in goal for the Bundesliga’s bottom-placed team. FCH has already conceded 66 goals, the worst record along with VfL Wolfsburg.
Above all, Ramaj has a devastating statistic that no other goalkeeper in Europe’s top 5 leagues can beat: the Stuttgart-born player is the only keeper who has not kept a clean sheet this season.
Last Clean Sheet Was Eleven Months Ago
The experience of a relegation battle is new for Ramaj, and when you’re playing for the last-placed team, it’s difficult to present positive statistics. A few weeks ago, Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt said: «A goalkeeper is always in focus. It certainly hasn’t been easy for him lately, but he’s positive, works like a maniac, and is someone who acts, not reacts.»
The club from Brenz has at least managed a clean sheet in cup competitions. In the 5-0 first-round DFB-Pokal victory against Bahlinger SC, Ramaj even saved a penalty. That was on August 16th. His last league clean sheet was on May 25th, still for Copenhagen.
Ramaj was an outfield player, an attacker, in his childhood. He is good with the ball, and his build-up play and passing look very decent. However, he hasn’t been without errors in the core business of saving shots. Ramaj has saved just under 60 percent of the shots on his goal. Within the Bundesliga, this puts him in 17th place, second to last.
Diant Ramaj: Will Heidenheim Change Goalkeepers?
Six errors leading to goals are also too many, as are the 2.2 goals conceded per game. Because he faces many shots, he makes an average of 3.3 saves per 90 minutes, placing him sixth in that category.
«If we stay in the league,» Ramaj told kicker, «it’s as if we had won the league with Bayern Munich, for example. In my head, staying in the league in Heidenheim is like winning a cup.» Whether he will be able to improve his own statistics in the remaining four league games, with a seven-point deficit to the relegation playoff spot and given his uncertain future, is not at all certain.
Coach Schmidt naturally has many thoughts for the likely upcoming second division season. One of them is to let Ramaj’s deputy, Frank Feller, become the new number one. «Contracts don’t interest me. It’s about performance, about the idea on match day. In principle, Diant Ramaj should play because he is our number one, but despite everything, it’s possible that we’ll give Frank one or two games,» Schmidt said.
«I Want to Establish Myself as Number 1 at Dortmund»
Where Ramaj will be between the posts next season is therefore highly uncertain. Throughout the season, he has deflected questions about his future with platitudes. Heidenheim does not have a purchase option for him, and at BVB, with the undisputed number one Gregor Kobel (contract until 2028), there’s no indication of a transfer. And Alexander Meyer, the number two, only extended his contract until 2027 in December.
«Dead fish swim with the current. I know what I can do — and I have no problem saying it,» Ramaj had stated. «Clearly: I want to establish myself as number 1 at Dortmund. I work on it every day.»
For Book and BVB, the Ramaj situation presents a tricky task. Another loan to a more ambitious club at a similar level seems logical. But how many temporary stations can an ambitious goalkeeper with three years left on his contract at a Champions League club tolerate?
Diant Ramaj: Performance Data at 1. FC Heidenheim
| Appearances | Goals Conceded | Clean Sheets | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 65 | 1 | 2 |