Chelsea and Newcastle have been linked with Borussia Dortmund ace Youssoufa Moukoko.
Borussia Dortmund striker Youssoufa Moukoko has been issued with an ultimatum by the club’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl, with Chelsea and Newcastle reportedly interested in bringing him to the Premier League. Moukoko has been caught up in an age controversy in recent days amid reports that he is actually 22 years old and not 18 as he claims to be.
“Youssoufa and his advisors know that we expect a decision this week, because we want to have the issue clarified before the first matchday,” “[This is necessary] so that the lad can focus fully on his sporting challenges.
“Youssoufa can now accept this offer and commit to Borussia Dortmund, or we shall part ways. I would like it if he decided for us because I see enormous potential for him if he continues his development with us. There are nevertheless limits for us as a club. Now it’s up to him to make a commitment in a timely manner.
“Youssoufa is a wonderful lad. He’s been with us for nearly seven years. we have trained and developed him. With us, he has become a professional and an international player. He has received an incredible amount of support from us. We’re convinced that this is the right place for him to continue.”
Kehl told Germany’s Kicker magazine.
Moukoko, who broke into the Dortmund team at the end of 2020 just days after apparently turning 16, is out of contract in the summer and has reportedly received a verbal offer from Newcastle. The player has appeared 22 times in all competitions for Dortmund this season and has bagged six goals and four assists in the Bundesliga.
The ace was born in Cameroon but moved to Germany in 2014 after being adopted and has gone on to win two caps for the European country. A birth certificate under the name of Yousouffa Mohamadou has allegedly been attributed to the player after reportedly being discovered recently with the year of birth down as 2000. And Austrian news outlet Laola1 have reported that Moukoko’s adoptive father had sent the certificate to a journalist.
But the German Football Association (DFB) have previously rubbished claims that the player is older than he says he is after being questioned on the matter.
“The DFB has already had a number of intensive discussions with Borussia Dortmund at various levels,”
“At the DFB’s request for careful consideration of the facts, those responsible at Borussia Dortmund always point to the authenticity of the papers and documents, which are also known by DFB. There is therefore no doubt about the correctness of the age of the player. In this matter, the DFB relies on the details of the home club of the player.”
They said in a statement to German publication Bild.
Source: Express UK
