After Dortmund's 3-1 home victory over Hoffenheim, the internet remained relatively quiet.
After all, this was a match everyone expected Dortmund to winânot winning would have been the real news!
The primary reason for the lack of buzz was the impending closure of the winter transfer window.
With the match concluded, only three days remained.
However, Dortmund was still troubled by their search for a new central defender...
"Jurgen, why not trust Ye again? After all, his recommendationsâDe Bruyne, Azpilicuetaâhave all proven solid. Even Mane's performances have been commendable!" Buvac said earnestly in the office.
At that moment, Klopp's computer was playing video footage of Van Dijk.
Physically, Van Dijk had no issues at this stage, but there were still plenty of problems...
He was impulsive with challenges, his defensive positioning was poor, and he had a tendency to dribble forward recklessly.
However, his strengths were undeniableâhe was tall and had excellent interception abilities.
But Dortmund needed a championship puzzle piece. Could Van Dijk really make an immediate impact?
They needed a player in his prime!
The problem was that players in their prime were often the backbone of their teams, rarely available for transfer.
"Hah..."
Klopp exhaled a smoke ring. "This is our best shot. Let's hope Ye's eye for talent is as sharp as ever."
A smile appeared on Buvac's face. "So far, his Chinese compatriot seems to be the only one slightly lacking... I doubt that kid Wang will make it in the first team."
"Let's wait and see. No rush. At least his attitude is right," Klopp responded calmly.
They immediately submitted an offerââ¬1.5 million for Van Dijk.
Far away in the Netherlands, Van Dijk was unexpectedly summoned to the office...
When he learned that a club as prestigious as Dortmund wanted to sign him, his first thought was that it must be a scam.
But upon seeing Klopp's face in the video call, he was stunned.
Oh my god, this was real!
However, Van Dijk quickly calmed down. He needed to ensure he would get enough playing time.
Otherwise, staying at his current club and continuing to develop might be the better option.
Without sufficient match time, joining a big club was meaningless.
Klopp promised at least ten starts in the latter half of the season. But the most tempting part was the salaryââ¬3,000 a week!
That was several times his wage at Groningen.
As a newly promoted first-team player, Van Dijk's weekly salary was only a few hundred euros...
Without hesitation, Van Dijk boarded a flight to Germany.
A big club is indeed a big clubâeven the plane ticket was reimbursed!
Thus, Dortmund completed their final winter signing, but the transfer market remained lively.
At 6 PM on January 31st (local French time), PSG secured Inter Milan's midfield star, and Champions League hero, Thiago Motta for â¬10 million.
The news triggered outrage among Inter fans, who lambasted the club's management.
Although they understood the club's financial struggles, selling a core player at such a critical juncture seemed to doom both their league and Champions League campaigns.
Football journalists, who had been analyzing "100 ways Dortmund could lose," shifted their narrative...
"Inter Winning the Bundesliga? Harder Than Climbing to Heaven!"
The headline felt oddly familiar.
Of course, the winter transfer window officially closed at midnight on February 1st.
De Bruyne's transfer ranked among the top ten of the window. In total, Dortmund brought in five new players.
Their ambitions were clear!
As usual, Klopp held a press conference to introduce Van Dijk, leaving the Dutchman feeling honored.
Van Dijk didn't bother searching for accommodation and opted to stay in the players' dormitory.
The conditions were basic but free of charge.
Mane, Wang Chu, and Van Dijk became neighbors in the dormitory.
Dortmund also finalized their Champions League squad. Since De Bruyne had already played for Genk in the Champions League, he could only participate in the league for the rest of the season. However, Ye Chen, Mane, Van Dijk, and Wang Chu were all included in the European squad.
In theory, the Chinese duo had a chance to feature together in the knockout stages.
Wang Chu knew his situationâhis focus was on training hard, gathering strength, and waiting for his moment to shine.
When that opportunity would come, he had no idea.
At least Klopp consistently placed him on the bench, which meant a chance could come.
On February 3rd, Dortmund's squad departed for Nuremberg.
Nuremberg, famous for its bratwurst, lebkuchen, and the world-renowned Christmas market, attracted many Chinese tourists.
Upon learning that Dortmund was playing there, many Chinese visitors hoped to watch Ye Chen live.
Ye Chen was a huge star in China's football scene, and capturing footage of him in action would undoubtedly generate buzz online.
However, when a fan named Xiao Ye and her boyfriend arrived at the stadium, tickets were already sold out.
But that wasn't an issue for her wealthy boyfriend.
He paid â¬200 over the original price to buy tickets from local tourists. They wore matching Dortmund jerseys with Ye Chen's number 16 and entered the stadium.
They quickly realized something was wrongâeveryone around them wore red.
What the...?
They were in the home fan section!
Surprisingly, Nuremberg fans were friendly, striking up conversations instead of jeering at them.
"Hello! Are you fans from China?"
Xiao Ye's boyfriend nodded. "Yes, we're from beautiful China!"
"Ye from China is amazing! We hope he plays for Germany someday."
Xiao Ye's boyfriend nodded in agreement. "Yes, I hope so too!"
Now the German fans were confused.
"We're stealing your talent, and you're not angry?"
"Angry? Why would we be angry? We're happy if Ye can play on a bigger stage! If he joined the Chinese team, forget the World Cupâqualifying for the Asian Cup would be tough!"
The German fans were impressed by the Chinese supporters' attitude. Many took pictures with Xiao Ye's boyfriend.
The atmosphere grew lively.
These were just side stories.
Since the match was on a Friday, it kicked off at 9:30 PM to accommodate local fans.
The 48,000-seat Max-Morlock-Stadion was packed.
This was Germany's vibrant football culture.
Even against non-elite teams, attendance exceeded 95%.
"Ye Chen is coming out!" Xiao Ye screamed from the stands.
"Go, Ye Chen!" her boyfriend shouted toward the pitch.
Ye Chen, hearing his name, smiled at the flash of yellow among the sea of red.
In Nuremberg, it was fine. At Schalke 04, they might not have been so lucky...
Ye Chen waved before returning to his warm-up.