BERLIN – Borussia Dortmund has recruited their second English teenager in recent months with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, 16, signing from Manchester City’s academy, the Bundesliga club said Thursday.
The England Under-16 winger has signed an undisclosed “long term” contract.
He is the second English starlet to join the German side recently after Jude Bellingham, 17, signed from Birmingham City for 26 million euros (RM126 million).
Bynoe-Gittens cites Dortmund's England star Jadon Sancho, 20, who joined the German club when he was 17, as his role model.
Having only turned 16 in August, Bynoe-Gittens will initially play for Dortmund’s Under-19 side, where “he can develop in peace”, said sports director Michael Zorc.
? Zorc:
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) September 24, 2020
“Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is now with us and we are pleased that he has joined our youth department. He will initially play with the U19’s. Our scouting department did an excellent job! " pic.twitter.com/HXp1PkTe4y
“He is a highly talented player, but should be allowed to develop with the juniors,” added Zorc, aware of comparisons with Sancho, who scored 17 goals in the Bundesliga last season.
“We don’t want expectations to be too high right from the start.”
Dortmund have invested heavily in youth as two 17-year-olds - Bellingham and attacking midfielder Giovanni Reyna - started Saturday’s 3-0 win over Moenchengladbach on the opening weekend of the season.
In the club’s junior side, Bynoe-Gittens will play alongside precocious striker Youssoufa Moukoko, who hit 34 goals in 20 appearances for Dortmund U19 last season.
The 15-year-old is tipped to make his Bundesliga debut when he turns 16 in November, thanks to a change in the league’s age-limit rules last season. – AFP, September 25, 2020
