Will Yan Couto ever have a shot with Niko Kovač? | OneFootball

BVB manager Niko Kovač gave a press conference this afternoon before the matchup against Bochum tomorrow. From injury concerns and diverse subjects, a topic that caught my attention was his quote on his impression of Yan Couto:

Despite his relatively high fee for Borussia Dortmund standards — 25 million euros plus add-ons — Yan Couto has not had many opportunities in the Black-and-Yellows. The young Brazilian right-back has only played 570 minutes in 13 league matches, which is less than 45 minutes per game. In the Champions League, Couto has also not been reasonably utilized, with 147 minutes in six matches — 24.5 minutes per match.

The former Girona's lack of game time also translates into his goal contribution numbers, which remain null for now. In that scenario, it is not uncommon to see BVB fans question his abilities and whether Dortmund should have invested any funds in him whatsoever. This is undoubtedly a fair point, considering the value and expectations relied on Yan, but this debate goes deeper than that.

First, it is impossible not to address the elephant in the room with Nuri Sahin. The former BVB boss wanted to sign Couto for his offensive abilities, as he planned to play in a back-three system once the season started. However, with bad results and performances pilling up, Sahin needed to abandon his prior convictions, and that decision backfired on Couto.

Due to Sahin's pressure situation and a sudden tactical change of heart, Couto saw himself with fewer minutes on the pitch. This added to an already tricky adaptation process to a new team, culture, language, and style of play. Hence, as much as Couto needs to deliver to the level of his pricetag, the context behind his career at Dortmund was mined from the very beginning.

I might also add that Couto has not been a bad addition to the team. Even with a lack of minutes and, consequently, G/A contributions, some glimpses of his talent were visible. According to FBref stats, Couto excels in progressive passes (4.23), progressive passes received (9.08), and touches in the opposition box (2.74) with high percentiles. He is also great at carrying the ball to dangerous areas, with 5.22 progressive carries and a 99 successfulness percentile.

Therefore, Yan Couto has demonstrated that he possesses traits that could be valuable to Borussia Dortmund. His passing range, either from the inside or outside, and crossing abilities could become a powerful weapon for BVB. For instance, Couto sums up 0.81 shots created and 1.99 shot-creating actions on average, even with fewer minutes. So, despite his below-expectation G/A numbers, Couto is definitely a threat, but he needs refinement.

Indeed, his defensive numbers are worrying, and he would be more adaptable to a right-wing-back role. But I believe he and the team can adjust to take the best out of his skillset while counter-balancing his deficiencies. I am not saying the whole game plan should be adjusted for a single player, but minor tactical tweaks could elevate Yan's level and the team's.

Yan Couto is extremely young, after all (22), and a change from La Liga to the Bundesliga would never be a smooth or quick process. Besides the fair amount of criticism he has been receiving, I do believe there is something in there that can only benefit Dortmund, as Yan is a highly-valued club asset. Kovač has the tactical repertoire to find a solution and give more space to Couto, but whether he will do it considering the urgent need for results, I am somewhat skeptical.