Borussia Dortmund’s decision to abandon a €50-55 million deal for 1. FC Köln youngster Said El Mala helped pave the way for Joey Veerman’s move from PSV.

Joey Veerman’s transfer from PSV Eindhoven to Borussia Dortmund may have happened quickly, but the Bundesliga club had been monitoring the midfielder since 2024.

Dortmund only made its interest concrete, however, after another major transfer target became financially unattainable.

According to German sources cited by PSV Inside, Dortmund had initially focused on 19-year-old Said El Mala, who was playing for 1. FC Köln.

The German giants wanted to bring the highly rated youngster to the Ruhr area, but Köln demanded between €50 million and €55 million for his services. Dortmund subsequently withdrew from negotiations.

El Mala then made a surprising decision to extend his contract with Köln until 2031 and was handed the club's No.10 shirt. German media reported that the youngster had requested the number.

With the El Mala deal off the table, Dortmund turned its attention towards Veerman.

The club had already been following the Volendam-born midfielder for some time, but the collapse of negotiations with Köln accelerated the process. Around a week before the eventual agreement, Dortmund contacted Veerman and his representatives, and talks quickly progressed towards a transfer.

Veerman's form had also improved significantly after his controversial red card against AZ Alkmaar, strengthening the case for a move to a higher level.

ESPN analyst Kenneth Perez believes Veerman has the qualities to succeed at Dortmund, although he acknowledges that the midfielder faces a major tactical and physical challenge in Germany.

“But I didn’t expect a club of this caliber anymore,” Perez said.

The former Denmark international believes Veerman possesses qualities that are difficult to find.

“But you don’t get all this space in a normal competition. If he gets the space and time, there is no better than Joey Veerman. Fantastic.”

There is, however, an important caveat.

“But of course there are also many matches in which it has to be faster, and then it gets harder.”

That will be one of the central challenges for Veerman in Germany. At PSV, he frequently had the time and space to dictate games with his passing range and vision. Dortmund will demand quicker decisions in a more intense environment.

For the midfielder, this transfer is more than just a lucrative move. It is also an opportunity for Veerman to show that his qualities as an influential figure at PSV can translate to the Bundesliga.

And, as the sequence of events shows, Dortmund's interest became concrete only after another expensive target was taken off the table.