Jamie Bynoe-Gittens. Borussia Dortmund’s new English star?

He came to Dortmund via a familiar route from Manchester City, but with considerably less media interest at his back. While Jadon Sancho was filling the headlines with his long-speculated move to Manchester United, he was working on himself at U19. Now comes his time in the first team. Is Jamie Bynoe-Gittens the next young Englishman to dominate the Bundesliga?

He joined Borussia in September 2020, a full three years after Jadon Sancho, at a time when his compatriot was already racking up goal after goal and assist after assist. Already at the age of 16, he immediately joined the U19 team after the transfer and started to gain experience.

However, injuries have severely limited his opportunities. Most notably a torn ligament in his ankle, which ruled him out of selection for thirteen games in the 2021/22 season. Still, he managed to score 3 goals and 3 assists in just six league games during that year in the youth team.

He particularly impressed in the UEFA Youth League, the junior Champions League, where he helped Dortmund to reach the quarter-finals with six goals in five games. Alongside this, he is also a newly crowned European Under-19 champion, having won this year’s championship held in Slovakia with England. He himself started the final match in the starting line-up after making a couple of appearances off the bench during the tournament.

Last season, he already earned his first minutes for Dortmund after starting in four matches. This also earned him more media attention and before this season he was being written about as a player who would break into the first team.

He got his chance in the second game of the season when he came on in the 64th minute in place of Thorgan Hazard. Dortmund were 0-1 down to Freiburg at the time and didn’t look like they could do anything with the game.

However, the arrival of a winger who is not afraid to pick up speed, go one-on-one and take risks changed the game. Bynoe-Gittens took one such risk in the 77th minute when he was able to celebrate after he accelerated the play on the wing, ran past defending opponents and attempted a shot.

His shot went exactly into the centre of the goal, but thanks to a mistake by goalkeeper Flekken, he got Dortmund the equaliser.

He then used a similar action to help set the stage for Youssouf Moukok’s second goal, only to watch Marius Wolf’s superb finish for the final 1:3. His arrival on the pitch poured new blood into Borussia’s veins and introduced us to the young Englishman in a big way.

Given the absence of traditional wingers in the line-up, it is to be expected that coach Terzic will rely on him and he will be given opportunities to showcase and develop his skills.

Source: Bundesliga, Transfermarkt