According to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace have successfully negotiated a direct agreement with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of their 21-year-old defender, Soumaïla Coulibaly. The French centre-back is set to sign a five-year contract directly with Strasbourg, circumventing a potential loan via the affiliated BlueCo club, Chelsea.
An understanding between the two clubs regarding a transfer fee of €7.5 million was reportedly finalized last night. Coulibaly is expected to travel to the Alsace region imminently to complete his medical examination and formalize the five-year deal.
This move signifies a return to French football for the player who previously came through the youth ranks at FC Montfermeil and Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Germany to join Borussia Dortmund in 2021. During his time in Germany, the young defender made 25 appearances for Dortmund`s second team. He also had brief senior exposure, including a UEFA Champions League appearance in November 2022 and a single Bundesliga outing in April 2023.
Last season, Coulibaly was loaned to Stade Brestois. His time there coincided with Brest`s memorable UEFA Champions League campaign, where `Les Pirates` reached the round of 16 in their debut European appearance. The Frenchman participated in 16 matches for Brest across all competitions during the loan spell.
