20.08.2018, Bavaria, Fürth: Football: DFB Cup, SpVgg Greuther Fürth - Borussia Dortmund, 1st round at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer. The Dortmund team celebrates their victory with 1:2 after extra time. (Important note: The DFB prohibits the use of sequence images on the Internet and in online media during the game (including half-time). vesting period! The DFB allows the publication and further use of the images on mobile devices (especially MMS) and via DVB-H and DMB only after the end of the game. Photo: Daniel Karmann/dpa (Photo by Daniel Karmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Khris Davis gave us one of the best moments of the baseball season

Khris Davis gave us one of the best moments of the baseball season by David Salituro

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke and Sporting Director Michael Zorc have addressed the squad’s needs beautifully this off-season, with the exception of the team’s greatest need: center-forward.

The squad overhaul of Borussia Dortmund began during last season’s winter transfer window and has continued into this summer. The first transaction was the acquisition of center-back Manuel Akanji from FC Basel.

BVB knew that the aging and increasingly-careless Sokratis would be departing the club after the conclusion of last season. Akanji was integrated into the squad slowly by then-manager Peter Stoeger.

It didn’t take long to see why Dortmund splashed the cash on this player back in January as his performances quickly improved. Combine that with his play during the World Cup this summer and it’s quite comprehensible why many consider this transaction a master stroke by Dortmund.

While on the subject of the back-line, how about mentioning BVB’s most expensive transfer during this current window, Abdou Diallo. Diallo is a ferocious defender, can assist with the build-up play, and after a season spent at Mainz, already has first-team Bundesliga experience.

An Akanji-Diallo partnership appears to be a thing of beauty on paper. In reality, we all know it takes time for solid chemistry between new teammates to develop. Once it does though, it could result in this pairing being one of the best center-back duos on the continent.

The additions of Thomas Delaney and Axel Witsel will provide a major spark to a midfield unit that seemed stuck in second gear for much of last season. The departure of Gonzalo Castro was long overdue and if we are honest with ourselves, Nuri Sahin should have been sold as well.

Julian Weigl, who looked brilliant during Thomas Tuchel’s tenure as BVB manager, was the exact opposite while playing for Peter Bosz and Peter Stoeger. He will need a bounce-back season to keep his spot within the squad long-term.

Mario Gotze will again be the driving force for the Black and Yellows as the central attacking midfielder. Second-year player Mahmoud Dahoud and the always dependable Shinji Kagawa round out Dortmund’s midfield. This gives BVB one of the best midfield units in the Bundesliga for the 2018-19 season.

The addition of goalkeeper Marwin Hitz gives BVB manager Lucien Favre a security blanket should Roman Burki struggle during the upcoming campaign, as was the case in quite a few matches last season. Competition brings out the best in everyone. Perhaps this is the spark Burki has needed.

Lastly, we arrive at the Borussia Dortmund attack. BVB recently rid themselves of some massive dead weight with the departures of wingers Andre Schurrle and Andrij Yarmolenko.

With a minuscule three goals scored over the course of two league seasons while simultaneously owning the title of “most expensive incoming transfer” in Dortmund history (€30 million), Schurrle will go down as one of the biggest busts in the club’s illustrious history.

Yarmolenko wasn’t much better when you consider that he was acquired to replace the French phenom (and crybaby) Ousmane Dembele. Lacking the pace to be effective as a top-class Bundesliga winger, as well as being a liability in defense, the club decided to part ways with the Ukrainian after just one season.

These two underachievers cost Borussia Dortmund nearly €60 million combined. Marius Wolf, a player who had a very successful Ruckrunde for Eintracht Frankfurt this past spring, and will be key to Dortmund’s front-line depth this season, cost a mere €5 million.

The one area that has yet to be addressed this summer, but is undeniably the greatest area of need for Borussia Dortmund, is at center-forward. Since the early part of the decade BVB have been blessed with a string of talented players at this position. Lewandowski, Aubameyang, Batshuayi, but at this very moment, no one.

Maximilian Phillip and Marco Reus, both natural wingers, will do their best to fill the void momentarily, though, make no mistake about it, it is absolutely crucial that Borussia Dortmund sign a competent striker before transfer deadline day on August 31st.

In the meantime, the club is currently in talks with both Liverpool and Barcelona regarding forwards Divock Origi and Paco Alcacer. In order for Borussia Dortmund to achieve their goals this season its a non-negotiable that they must secure the signature of a dependable number 9.

Perhaps the biggest mistake the club made this summer was forgoing the opportunity to sign Michy Batshuayi to another loan deal, this time with an option to buy. Batshuayi was arguably Dortmund’s best player in the few matches he played for the Black and Yellows last season.

BVB have ten days to get a deal done. If they are unable to work something out then it could be a long, goal-deprived, struggle of a season for Dortmund. However, if they are able to sign one of the aforementioned forwards, allowing Reus and Phillip to take their natural positions at left and right winger, then Favre’s Dortmund may just surprise a few people in 2018-19.

With the addition of a good center-forward, Watzke and Zorc will have done everything required for BVB to not only compete for the Bundesliga crown, but also to advance past the group stage of the Champions League. And who knows…maybe even beyond.