BVB Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl Leaves Borussia Dortmund
Kehl and the club mutually agreed to part ways.
DORTMUND, GERMANY - MARCH 14: Sport director Sebastian Kehl of Borussia Dortmund looks on ahead of the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg at Signal Iduna Park on March 14, 2026 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Ralf Ibing - firo sportphoto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl have mutually agreed to part ways, according to an official club announcement earlier today. ℹ️ Borussia Dortmund und Sportdirektor Sebastian Kehl haben sich gemeinsam auf das Ende der Zusammenarbeit verständigt.
Wir bedanken uns für Sebastians Einsatz, seine Identifikation und seine Erfolge und wünschen ihm für seine Zukunft alles Gute! 🔗 https://t. co/BCgAwqcTpL pic.
twitter. com/btJJzBpRD5 — Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) March 22, 2026 My sense is that the vast majority of BVB fans reacted to this news positively, and I tend to agree with them. Sebastian Kehl’s tenure as sporting director started out brightly, but the last few transfer windows have been less successful.
According to Ruhr Nachrichten , his influence at the club has waned significantly in recent months, and his relationship with Lars Ricken and Carston Cramer declining. According to the report, the managers attribute a decline in the club’s image as a place for young stars to develop—something typically considered a key selling point—to Kehl. The natural question is who will replace him.