Serhou Guirassy broke a Champions League record and became the tournament’s top goalscorer on Tuesday but couldn’t prevent Borussia Dortmund from crashing out against Barcelona
Champions League record breaker Serhou Guirassy has a £60million release clause which only applies to a select group of European clubs. Arsenal and Manchester United were both linked with the Borussia Dortmund striker last year when he was available for just £14m.
After the two Premier League giants opted not to pursue a deal with Stuttgart, German rivals Dortmund capitalised and have been reaping the rewards. Guirassy, 29, has been prolific for BVB, despite their dismal domestic season.
The Guinea international has scored 28 goals in 40 appearances this season, including 13 strikes in 14 Champions League games. Three of those came on Tuesday as Guirassy led Dortmund’s valiant fightback against Barcelona, ultimately losing the quarter-final tie 5-3 on aggregate.
His perfect hat-trick took him past Barca stars Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski to become this season’s outright top goalscorer in the Champions League. Guirassy also broke a number of records, including the most goals scored for Dortmund in a single Champions League campaign, overtaking ex-Black and Yellow stars Lewandowski and Erling Haaland (both 11).
Bittersweetly, the former Stuttgart hitman became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Champions League knockout match and end up being eliminated. No wonder, then, Guirassy is being tipped for a move away from Dortmund this summer.
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According to German outlet Sport Bild, the 29-year-old’s contract – which runs until 2028 – contains a release clause which is valid for around half a dozen clubs. The fixed amount that a team would have to pay is just under €70m (£60m), a huge increase on what Arsenal and United could’ve paid in 2024.
Both English clubs were and still are looking to sign a striker and Guirassy, despite his age, was an option. Chelsea were also linked with him while he was enjoying his late-career rise at Stuttgart and they’re mentioned as one of the sides who can trigger his £60m clause.
That clause can only be activated after this summer’s Club World Cup which Dortmund will take part in. Guirassy is understood to be happy at the Signal Iduna Park but given that his club are likely to miss out on playing Champions League football next season, he could be lured away.
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BVB are languishing eighth in the Bundesliga table and recently appointed ex-Bayern Munich boss Nico Kovac after sacking Nuri Sahin. Backed by a raucous home crowd, Dortmund flirted with a comeback at home to Barcelona, who Guirassy also scored twice against during the league phase in December, but their 4-0 defeat in the away leg last week proved fatal.
“I’m proud because we played a great game and I think the fans were very satisfied,” the striker told Prime Video Sport post-match. “They [the home fans] saw good football.
“The 4-0 scoreline in Barcelona was slightly too much to come back from. It’s a shame that we were too far behind in the match of the year. That will serve us as a lesson for future matches. But we fought until the end. Barcelona have a brilliant team, we’re also a brilliant team.
“It’s lovely to be the top goalscorer in the Champions League. There are very good players. Being first means that I’m a good striker. But I can’t do it alone, without the team. It’s a shame that the competition ends today.”
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