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Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund have bolstered its defensive options by signing Aaron Anselmino, an Argentine U20 international from Premier League side Chelsea, on a loan deal which will run until the end of the season.
Dortmund released a statement to announce the arrival of Anselmino on Wednesday. At the beginning of the season, Dortmund was left jolted after Niklas Sule joined Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck on the injury list. Schlotterbeck sustained a knee injury in April and was subsequently ruled out for six months. With Can and Schlotterbeck sidelined, Dortmund's situation was exacerbated after Sule was taken off in the first half of Dortmund's pre-season defeat to Juventus earlier this month. Dortmund believes that Anselmino, whom they have been monitoring since his days with Boca Juniors, holds great potential and will be integrated into the team swiftly, considering the shortage of defenders. "Due to the injuries to Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Niklas Sule, we were forced to make adjustments at centre-back. Aaron Anselmino has already gained first-league experience in his home country and has great potential. It was no coincidence that Chelsea FC signed him to an extremely long-term contract last summer," Borussia Dortmund CEO Lars Ricken said in a statement. "We have been following Aaron since his time at Boca Juniors. He is a very good solution in our current situation. A talented player who has demonstrated his quality at a young age in very emotional stadiums. We will integrate him quickly because we need him immediately and are looking forward to seeing Aaron in the black and yellow jersey this season," BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl added. Anselmino, born in Bernardo Larroude, Argentina, spent his youth years at Juventud Unida and Sportivo Realico before joining Boca Juniors' youth system at the age of 12. Six years later, he was promoted to the first team and made nine more appearances following his debut. He netted his first professional goal in April 2024, the winner in the Copa Sudamericana group stage against Trinidense. In the same summer, Chelsea FC came knocking on the door and secured his services, who is versatile enough to operate in midfield. Chelsea immediately loaned Anselmino back to Argentina, where he was to continue his development at his parent club for a year. After 18 appearances, Chelsea exercised a contract clause in January 2025 to bring the Argentinian to London early. The 20-year-old made his debut for the Blues in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup against Benfica Lisbon earlier this year. At the end of the tournament, he lifted the trophy with Chelsea. He opened up about the ambitions that he is aiming to achieve with the German side and said, "Eight months ago, I was in Argentina, then I went to Chelsea in England. I'm delighted to be here now. I'm very happy about this step. I've heard a lot of good things about the BVB fans, about the greatness of the club. That's why I'm very happy and excited." "I'm a hard-working player, very hard in fact. I always try to give my all on the pitch. With the ball, I try to convey calmness - but I want the fans to know that I give my all on the pitch. I hope to get some minutes. I haven't played much in six months. So my goal is to start slowly and try to play a lot of games and give my all to the team." (ANI)
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