Borussia Dortmund are not pressing for a contract extension with head coach Niko Kovac even though he enters the final year of his current deal. Chief executive Carsten Cramer confirmed that discussions will wait until the squad is finalised, despite the club’s satisfaction with the Croatian’s work.
Kovac, who took charge at Signal Iduna Park in February 2025, has twelve months remaining on his agreement. Rather than urgent negotiations, the Bundesliga side’s immediate priority lies in completing their summer transfer business before turning attention to the manager’s future.
Club stance
Cramer told Kicker that the hierarchy remains fully behind their coach, but timing is key. “The basic message remains: We are extremely satisfied with Niko,” he said. “But, without wanting to reveal too much: we are still in the process of finalising the squad.”
The chief executive outlined a familiar timeline for when talks might commence. “Then we will begin pre-season and, just like last year, we will start the discussions at the right time. That was not the priority task during the seven weeks of holiday,” he explained.
Manager’s calm response
Cramer revealed that Kovac shares this patient approach and has not pressured the board. “Niko hasn’t been constantly sending WhatsApp messages or using his agent to send messages on his behalf,” he noted, describing the former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg boss as “completely relaxed” about his future.
The delay suggests Dortmund are content to assess the upcoming campaign’s early stages before committing to a longer-term project under Kovac. The 53-year-old replaced his predecessor midway through the 2024-25 season and now faces the challenge of steering the club through a transitional year without the security of an extended contract.
With pre-season approaching, the focus remains on personnel rather than paperwork, leaving Kovac to prepare his team while the board finalises the playing roster.