One of Dortmund’s will-they-won’t-they transfers of the summer appears to be going ahead at long last. Per Fabrizio Romano, Dortmund wing-back Yan Couto is set to move to Italy this summer on loan to Como.
Couto joined Dortmund initially on loan from Manchester City in the fall of 2024, with a purchase
obligation exercised in the summer of 2026. Across two seasons for BVB, Couto played 62 matches, scoring three goals and assisting a further three.
These numbers only tell a half story. In his second season, Couto played a mere 997 minutes in the league, falling behind Julian Ryerson in the pecking order at right wing-back. One might think Couto would be perfectly suited to Niko Kovac’s five-back system, but unfortunately for Couto, Ryerson’s crossing prowess this season made him impossible to leave off the team sheet.
I, for one, am very disappointed to see Couto go in what will likely prove to be a permanent departure. Couto took an enormous leap of faith moving to Dortmund, a completely foreign country and league, and embraced the club with open arms. BVB repaid him, in my opinion, with limited minutes and little reward for the good moments he showed in black and yellow. It always felt as though Couto was an afterthought on the team-sheet despite his impressive CV and potential to bring a different element to the squad, with some time to settle into a role. Dortmund gave Raphaël Guerreiro seven seasons to be a poor defender with tremendous creative ability—I’m not sure why Couto couldn’t be afforded just one.
Couto is only 24, and with the buy option seemingly non-obligatory, we may yet see Yan Couto in black and yellow again. Unfortunately, BVB has likely left a poor taste in the Brazilian’s mouth, and I wouldn’t blame him for leaving it in the past.
For Dortmund’s part, Niko Kovac is now left with a single right-back who is currently injured. Potentially an area of concern for squad planner Ole Book.
Are Dortmund making the right choice letting Couto seek a new challenge? Who should replace him? Let us know in the comments.
