Borussia Dortmund have expressed significant frustration following Chelsea’s sudden decision to activate a break clause and recall 20-year-old defender Aaron Anselmino from his season-long loan with only a week remaining in the January transfer window.
Despite the Argentine youth international recently returning from injury to help Dortmund secure second place in the Bundesliga, Chelsea opted to bring him back to London to bolster Liam Rosenior’s defensive options rather than keeping him in Germany or recalling Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg.
The move has left the German giants feeling “blindsided,” especially after Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl expressed a desire to extend the player’s stay, leading to a blunt official statement where the club noted it “regrets Anselmino’s sudden departure and thanks him for his contributions over the past months.”
This decision defies recent advice from European football experts and earlier comments from Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, who had stated, “I expect him to remain our player until the end of the season. He’s getting the minutes he wasn’t getting at Chelsea.”