Niko Kovac even gives him one-to-one coaching: Joane Gadou could become Borussia Dortmund’s next 100-million man

New signing Joane Gadou is increasingly proving to be a real bargain for Borussia Dortmund. The 19-year-old centre-back has made enormous progress in a short time.

Nico Schlotterbeck looked at ease as he faced the press on Saturday evening. For six minutes after the 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich, the Borussia Dortmund captain spoke with conviction and self-confidence about the Bundesliga's big match and the point his side had earned.

His comments went beyond the match that had just ended. Schlotterbeck seems to sense that Borussia Dortmund have a better chance of achieving something this season than in previous years. "The team are good," he said, before turning to individual potential: "I even think some players don't realise just how good they are."

Who did he mean? Schlotterbeck did not name any team-mates, but Joane Gadou would be a good guess. At 19, the centre-back has made such progress that the deal, which could cost Borussia Dortmund up to €25 million with bonuses, increasingly looks like a bargain.

Standing 1.95 metres tall, Gadou already has exceptional physical attributes for his age. He is uncompromising, aggressive and relentless in direct duels. Beating him to the ball is no easy task.

Joane Gadou is the Bundesliga's third-fastest player

His speed is just as striking. Across the first eight Bundesliga matchdays, only four players have topped 36 km/h. Gadou reached 36.55 km/h, putting him third behind Mainz's Sheraldo Becker on 36.58 km/h and Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies on 36.7 km/h.

That pace gives Dortmund cover when opponents break through. Gadou accelerates so quickly that almost no one can outrun him, and he has repeatedly sprinted back to stop players racing alone towards goal.

On the ball, he is improving too. Gadou likes to dribble into midfield and the final third to give his side a numerical advantage. Early on, he did not always get the balance right and could be sloppy with his passing. Now he finds passing lanes more often and brings his team-mates into play. He ranks among the Bundesliga's best for line-breaking passes, tackles and ball recoveries.

Kovac on Joane Gadou: "Not at the level where I'd like him to be"

Asked on Saturday about Gadou's improvement on the ball, sporting director Ole Book said: "Absolutely. I thought he was really very good over the last few weeks. He improves in one area every week, really. The coaching staff work very, very meticulously with him on that. There are constant meetings and analyses. I think the progress is evident from week to week."

Coach Niko Kovac reportedly works with Gadou individually on his positioning and heading. He still has room to improve his technique in the air. Gadou has made virtually no decisive contribution at attacking set-pieces so far, leaving plenty of untapped potential for the tallest player in the squad.

Physically, Kovac wants even more from him. "Joane has developed really well; he's making real progress. It's the same for him as for all the other players who come here at a young age: they need time to develop, physically too. He's on the right track, at a good level, but not at the level where I'd like him to be."

Joane Gadou produces outstanding performance against Bayern Munich

Despite a run of midweek fixtures he was not used to at Salzburg, Gadou has coped well. He has played in 13 of Dortmund's 14 competitive matches, starting 11 and completing 90 minutes in nine.

In Munich at the weekend, he played 87 minutes and watched Fabio Silva's late equaliser from the bench two minutes later. Before going off, Gadou had excelled as a right-back in a back four, an unexpected role for his first big match in Munich.

His figures tell the story: five tackles, nine ball recoveries, three clearances, eight duels won and two successful dribbles from two attempts. Gadou's pace and strength in duels also let Dortmund push their defensive line significantly higher and press Bayern Munich further up the pitch.

Borussia Dortmund signing Joane Gadou "has incredible potential"

"He simply has incredible potential: physically, defensively, in duels," Book said. "If it all comes together like that, we'll get a lot of enjoyment from him in the future." Should Gadou grow stronger physically and keep progressing at this rate, questions about his future could arrive sooner than expected.

Gadou, who has represented the under-21 national team twice, has signed with Borussia Dortmund until 2031. His attributes would make him a natural fit for the Premier League, and his name may soon enter the English transfer rumour mill.

Last summer, speculation centred on a possible departure for the currently out-of-form Felix Nmecha, seen as a potential next €100 million departure for the Westphalian club. If Gadou keeps this up, the two could one day be close rivals for that distinction.

Borussia Dortmund fixtures: the next matches