Pascal Groß: Joining Borussia Dortmund was an “easy decision”

After several weeks of back and forth between Brighton and Borussia Dortmund, the club announced yesterday that German international Pascal Groß would be joining the club on a two-year deal. Groß, who previously played for Ingolstadt in the Bundesliga before joining Brighton, has been one of the Premier League side’s most important players since joining them in 2017.

Groß’s last season was particularly impressive, with the German international chipping in with four goals and 10 assists in the Premier League this season. His versatility on the pitch, combined with his experience, make him a solid addition to Dortmund’s midfield.

Groß sat down to an interview with the club after joining, and expressed his satisfaction regarding the move, stating that it didn’t take long for him to make a decision regarding coming back to Germany to play for Die Schwarzgelben:

“The decision was made relatively quickly. I supported BVB my whole childhood and when the request came, my heart said yes directly. That’s why it was an easy decision for me to agree to the offer, even if of course I had a long and very nice time with Brighton.”

Groß’s time in Brighton is what launched him into contention with the German national team, and really helped highlight him as a very effective “Swiss army knife” type of player, capable of slotting in across various positions. In his own words, Groß is the type of player who works to “make his teammates shine”:

“I try to stage my teammates as much as possible and carry the game from back to front. I think I have a good mentality and I try to win every game. This is also my claim at Borussia Dortmund: When I stand on the pitch, I want to be part of a team that wins a lot of games.”

Having a player with experience and a winning mentality will help Dortmund immeasurably, especially after the departures of Mats Hummels and Marco Reus. Groß’s capability to play a variety of roles across midfield, as well as right back when called upon, will certainly help in elevating the way his teammates play.

Groß’s addition is one that I believe will pleasantly surprise many Dortmund supporters this season. he is not the typical player acquisition for the club due to his age profile, but having a selfless, hard-working and industrious midfielder such as him is integral for a club looking to challenge on so many fronts in the coming season. The way in which Groß approaches the concept of playing for Dortmund is admirable on its own, but he also still has the on-pitch capability to be a game-changer for the club in the short term this season.