By Ben McFadyean.
AS Monaco have reached an agreement to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Paris Brunner, subject to medical which is due imminently according to Ruhr Nachrichten.
The fee is reported as €4m with a contract until 2027, and the talented striker will be loaned out to Belgian top-tier club Cercle Brugge.
The Germany U18 international has long been on many big club’s radars. However, he is also a player who has been subject to reported disciplinary issues at the club during the past two seasons, which have undoubtedly affected his progression.
Brunner is also eligible for DR Congo but has already been selected at U16 to U18 levels for Germany. He gained 18 appearances for the U17 DFB team, and came to the attention of the football world with his exceptional 15 goals, winning the UEFA U17 European Championship with Germany in 2023.
The Dortmund-born striker has shown exceptional consistency during his youth career with 44 goals in 50 games at youth level for Borussia’s U17 and U19 teams. In particular, he stood out last season with 5 in the game against VFL Bochum, and hat tricks against 1 FC Cologne, and MSV Duisburg.
Brunner is a quality finisher with outstanding scoring aptitude and also has strong ball control, good pace, and good on and off-the-ball movement. He is recognised for his strong technique, agility, and dribbling skills.
The BVB academy is highly recognised for developing world-class talent. The Bundesliga club however also is known for having very high expectations in terms of the discipline of young players.
The breakthrough from the youth set-up at the club has also proven thorny ground for some talented strikers. Among those who failed to make the breakthrough are Netherlands U18 international Julian Rijkhoff, who the Guardian named among the best players born in 2005 last season, and returned after a three-year stint with BVB to Ajax. Swiss U21 international striker Bradley Fink returned to FC Basel after making 14 appearances in the BVB U23s.
A player with exceptional ratings and proven goal-scoring ability that could soon follow is nineteen-year-old 2-time Germany international Youssoufa Moukoko, with recent interest from Stade Rennes, Marseilles and Southampton.
On balance, the sale appears to have resulted from the ongoing disciplinary issues.
Whilst Brunner may yet go on to become a full Germany international and mature into an outstanding scorer at senior level, BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl also notably secured a sell-on clause for the young striker.
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