Julian Ryerson

The 25-year-old defender has been under contract with Borussia Dortmund since January 2023. The Norwegian previously played for 1. FC Union Berlin. He made 20 appearances (1 goal / 1 assist) for BVB across all competitions byJune 2023 (deadline for all information).

Sporting director Kehl on Ryerson's signing

“We have major sporting challenges ahead of us, for which we need defensive stability,” said sporting director Sebastian Kehl in January 2023 about the new signing from Berlin: “Julian Ryerson is an intelligent and, in a positive sense, very aggressive defender. We really like his profile, his character and his desire to leave the pitch as a winner at all costs. On top of that, he can play on the right and left in a back four as well as in a back three, which gives him and us additional flexibility.”

Ryerson's contribution to BVB's successful season

The hopes and expectations have been fulfilled! BVB started 2023 in sixth place and finished second in the table at the end of the season to qualify for the Champions League. Ryerson played his part in this. He started 17 of the 19 Bundesliga games, seven times at right-back and ten times at left-back, which was in line with the flexibility Kehl had hoped for.

Ryerson's development before the move to Dortmund

Ryerson made his debut at the age of 17 with Viking Stavanger in the top division of his home country. Before his 20th birthday, he had developed into a regular at the club, but was relegated from the top flight with the club in 2017. He moved to Union Berlin in 2018, but was not yet a regular on the Köpenickers' journey from the second to the first division. That changed from December 2020, when he spent the first nine matchdays oscillating between the stands and the bench (with many brief appearances), but by the end of the season his name was only missing from the line-up six times. He later rose up the hierarchy to become deputy captain.

Departure from Union and arrival in Dortmund

He made a total of 109 competitive appearances for Union before moving to BVB in mid-January 2023. “It's not easy for me to leave Union Berlin, because I owe a lot to this special club, my teammates, the staff and the fans. I will always have fond memories of my time at the Alte Försterei,” said Ryerson, adding: ”Now I'm looking forward to a new chapter at Borussia Dortmund. As a member of the opposition, I've already experienced the atmosphere at Signal Iduna Park - I was impressed and I'm already excited to see what it will feel like to have the famous Yellow Wall behind me.” It appreciates the fighting spirit and ambition of the Norwegian international, who made his debut for the senior national team on November 18, 2020.