10 UCL goals 

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When Serhou Guirassy was the top scorer in the Bundesliga after scoring 14 goals in the first eight games of the season with Stuttgart last term, it felt as though the Guinean was just on a red-hot scoring run that wouldn’t last. Guirassy was already 27 years old and had never previously demonstrated this goalscoring ability in a top-five league. Some players often go through prolific patches in their careers that are above their level and difficult to maintain. Michu at Swansea springs to mind. However, Guirassy ended last season with 28 goals in 28 Bundesliga games, with only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane (36) scoring more.

In the summer, the striker traded Stuttgart for Borussia Dortmund in a €18 million move, and he is having a fine first season at Signal Iduna Park, once again proving any doubters wrong. There were rumours linking him with many Premier League clubs, with several English top-flight sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly on the hunt for a new striker, but it was the yellow of Dortmund he would don. Remarkably, Guirassy is actually the Champions League top goalscorer so far this season, with 10 goals in 10 games for the Bundesliga side in the competition. Last season’s finalists Dortmund take on Lille in the round of 16, with the first leg in Germany this Tuesday.

How Serhou Guirassy has excelled at Borussia Dortmund

Stefan Bienkowski is part of Transfermarkt’s content team for the UK, but covers the Bundesliga and has been following the league closely for some time. He explains more about the impact Guirassy has made at Dortmund: “For the most part Guirassy has successfully brought his remarkable goalscoring form from Stuttgart to Dortmund. Often players leave Stuttgart and struggle in new formations or systems, but the striker has proved to be perfectly adaptable to Dortmund’s varying tactics and form.” Dortmund are currently 10th in the Bundesliga, but are only six points off of the top four. However, in Europe the German giants have faired much better, finishing 10th in the Champions League league phase, before dismissing Portuguese champions Sporting in the play-off round.

Asked about Guirassy’s playing style, Bienkowski revealed more about the Guinean’s game: “He’s a classic target man in many ways. He’s great in the air and loves playing with his back to goal. But he’s also excellent at turning his defender and dribbling with the ball when a defender gives him too much space. Couple that with his natural goalscoring instincts in the box and he’s the perfect player for link-up play in the final third. But I guess the downside to that is that he can also struggle if he doesn’t get enough service in the final third, like all target men.” Dortmund relieved young coach Nuri Şahin of his duties in December after just 27 games in charge, with the 36 year old Turkish boss leaving the club around mid table in the Bundesliga. In came former Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac, who has brought the best out of Guirassy.

“He’s simplified things,” explains Bienkowski. “Sahin was often accused of overcomplicated Dortmund’s tactics – especially in attack – but Kovac has reverted back to a more standard system of playing two holding midfielders and then three attacking players playing off the striker. This has led to Pascal Groß more or less replacing Julian Brandt as the de-facto playmaker and Karim Adeyemi and Maximilian Beier playing like second strikers off of Guirassy.”

Did Premier League clubs miss a trick not signing Serhou Guirassy?

Many Premier League clubs were linked to Guirassy throughout last season. The most notable interest seemed to come from Man United, with Arsenal and Chelsea also linked with the striker. Asked whether he could still see Guirassy making the move to the Premier League one day, Bienkowski answered, “It’s hard to say. His predecessor, Niclas Füllkrug, was never signed as a player Dortmund looked to sell in a hurry, but they received an offer they couldn’t refuse from West Ham. At 28 years of age, Guirassy isn’t exactly Erling Haaland, but it wouldn’t surprise me if a mid-table club in England tried to sign him as a ready-made goalscorer. Dortmund players always have their price.” Indeed the traditional No.9 seems to be back in fashion, with many clubs scouting for a new striker. Guirassy will be hoping to keep up his good form in the Champions League in Dortmund’s round of 16 tie against Lille this Tuesday.