Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has once again stressed the need to integrate wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko into the first team.
The 15-year old Cameroonian-German forward has dazzled for BVB in the various youth categories with more than 150 strikes to his name including 34 in 20 outings during the cancelled Under-19 Bundesliga West championship.
Moukoko’s continuous fine displays meant it was difficult for the Dortmund senior team management to turn a blind eye on him and pushed to have the DFB lower the age limit to be drafted into the first team from 17 to 16 which was eventually granted.
This paves the way for the Yaounde-born player to make his debut when he turns 16 on November 20.
"The coach and I talked this week about the fact that we want to integrate him into our team, that he immediately learns to train and play with adults," Zorc said in a press briefing ahead of Dortmund’s final Bundesliga game of the season at home to Hoffenheim.
"As a result of the rule change, he can be used in the Bundesliga from November when he turns 16.
"We are very interested in involving the boys from the youth area with us. Of course, we know that we want to be at the top of the Bundesliga, that we want to play a good role in the Champions League. That means it's a big leap from the U19 [division] to the Bundesliga."
“Introducing young players from their own youth to the professional squad will always remain our focus, that's what Borussia Dortmund stands for".
Dortmund have nothing to fight for in the Bundesliga after Bayern Munich clinched an eighth consecutive title.
The North Rhine-Westphalia outfit is, however, guaranteed second spot and a place in next season’s Champions League as they hold a seven-point lead over third-placed RB Leipzig heading into Saturday’s finale.
Lucien Favre’s charges lifted the German Super Cup at the start of the season, seeing off Bayern 2-0 at the Signal Iduna Park. They reached the Last 16 round of the Champions League but lost out to Paris Saint-German 3-2 on aggregate.
The men in yellow and black also lost out in the same round of the German Cup by the same 3-2 scoreline in a single leg to relegation-threatened Werder Bremen.