TEENAGE STRIKER sensation Youssoufa Moukoko has extended his contract with Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund until 2026, the club announced on Saturday.
Moukoko was set to become a free agent in the summer of 2023 and German media reported that several of Europe’s major clubs including Barcelona, Chelsea and Liverpool, along with Saudi-backed Newcastle, had indicated an interest in the youngster.
Moukoko, 18, came through Dortmund’s junior ranks after joining from St Pauli in 2016, scoring 141 goals in just 88 games before moving to the senior side.
The Germany striker debuted in the top grade in November 2020 just one day after his 16th birthday, becoming the youngest-ever Bundesliga player in the process.
Just 27 days later, he scored his first senior goal to become the league’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Moukoko has six goals and four assists in 14 games in the 2022-23 season.
Born in Cameroon before moving to Hamburg at the age of nine, Moukoko chose to represent Germany at youth level.
At the age of 17, he became the youngest-ever Germany player when he made his debut in a pre-World Cup friendly against Oman, breaking a record that had stood for 68 years.
He came on as a substitute in Germany’s opening 2-1 loss against Japan at the Qatar World Cup.
Moukoko on Saturday told the club’s website staying in Dortmund was “a decision of the heart”.
“It’s no secret that I feel good at Dortmund,” Moukoko said.
“I played in the youth teams, took my first steps in professional football here and now I’m ready to take the next step in my development together with the club.
“Of course, I was honored by the interest of other clubs, but in the end, it’s a heart decision.”
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who had given Moukoko an ultimatum to make a decision before Sunday’s season re-start against Augsburg, praised the “exceptional” striker on Saturday in a prepared statement.
“It was important to us to be able to conclude the negotiations this week so that we all — and Youssoufa in particular — can start the football year 2023 in peace and fully focused on the sporting challenges.”
Moukoko has a strong relationship with Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, saying in November while on World Cup duty “I feel the trust of the manager”.
Meanwhile,
Borussia Dortmund clinched a 4-3 thriller at home against Augsburg on Sunday as Sebastien Haller returned to the team after battling testicular cancer.
Dortmund took the lead three times, only for Augsburg to equalise, exploiting the home side’s disorganised defence.
Dortmund manager Edin Terzic brought on Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Gio Reyna in the 70th minute, with both wingers scoring goals to help carry their team to victory.
The home side had the better of the early proceedings before Jude Bellingham broke through in the 29th minute.
The 19-year-old Englishman collected the ball on the edge of the box and sent the Augsburg defenders the wrong way, before drilling a low shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
Despite Dortmund’s dominance of possession, Augsburg hit back in the 40th minute, when Dion Beljo dispossessed a sloppy Nico Schlotterbeck before passing to Arne Maier, who hammered home.
Schlotterbeck redeemed himself immediately, however, heading in a Julian Brandt free-kick to put Dortmund up 2-1.
Augsburg equalised in stoppage time, Ermedin Demirovic chipping over Dortmund ‘keeper Gregor Kobel for his sixth goal of the campaign.
Haller came off the bench in the 61st minute to rapturous applause from the home and away fans, his first competitive appearance since May 2022.
With the game drifting towards more dropped points for the home side, Bynoe-Gittens and Reyna were brought on in the 70th minute.
The home side reclaimed the lead almost immediately, with the 18-year-old Englishman Bynoe-Gittens superbly curling the ball in from outside the box.
Augsburg’s David Colina hit back less than a minute later but Dortmund reclaimed the lead two minutes after that, when US forward Reyna lifted the ball over Rafal Gikiewicz and into the back of the net.
Dortmund held on in a nervous final few minutes for the three points which moved them into sixth place in the table.
In Sunday’s late game, Borussia Moenchengladbach host Bayer Leverkusen.
