Borussia Dortmund is strengthening its support team for head coach Niko Kovac by bringing in experienced personnel from English football. The 35-year-old Dutchman recently worked for Liverpool, departing the club alongside head coach Arne Slot during a major backroom overhaul after Slot’s successor, Andoni Iraloa, brought in his own staff.
Backroom Staff Additions From the Premier League
Van der Ham’s career spans youth football in the Netherlands, video analysis roles at RKC Waalwijk, NAC Breda, and Heracles Almelo, and a stint with the Netherlands Under-19 national team from 2018 to 2019. He joined Slot’s staff at Feyenoord Rotterdam in 2022 before following him to the Premier League in 2024. During his roughly year-and-a-half tenure with the Reds, he contributed to a Premier League title victory in 2025.
At Dortmund, van der Ham will support Kovac, whose coaching staff includes assistant coaches Robert Kovac, Filip Tapalovic, and Stephen Rands, alongside goalkeeping coach Matthias Kleinsteiber. Alongside the analyst, a second new arrival from England is expected: groundsman Scott Tingley, who spent more than a decade looking after the pitch at second-division side Watford.
Daniel Svensson Draws Premier League Interest
While Dortmund bolsters its analytical and groundskeeping ranks, its squad is drawing heavy attention from reigning English champions. According to a report by CaughtOffside cited by sports.yahoo.com, both Liverpool and Arsenal have identified Swedish left-back Daniel Svensson as a potential defensive target.
Liverpool is reportedly leading the race for the 24-year-old defender as the club looks to reinforce its backline following Andy Robertson’s free transfer to Tottenham Hotspur. Although the Premier League champions already feature defensive depth—including former Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie—the team endured multiple defensive injuries throughout the 2025/26 season.
Valuation and Contract Leverage
Dortmund holds a commanding position in any potential transfer negotiations because Svensson is under contract with the club until 2029. Bild reports that the Bundesliga outfit could command a transfer fee closer to €30 million for the defender. The Yellow and Blacks originally acquired Svensson from FC Nordsjaelland 18 months ago for a modest €6.5 million.
During his time in Germany, Svensson has logged 45 Bundesliga appearances, earning 35 starts. On the international stage, he started for Sweden during their World Cup campaign before their Round of 32 elimination against France. Dortmund has already signed Kauã Prates to cover the left-back position, though the 17-year-old is sidelined at the start of pre-season due to injury.
Pre-Season Schedule and Upcoming Fixtures
The Dortmund contingent returned from their pre-season trip to Japan on Sunday and is continuing preparations at home. The team’s schedule features a friendly match against Arsenal, followed by a high-stakes competitive opener on August 22 in the Supercup against domestic double winners Bayern Munich.
The club will then host Hamburger SV for its Bundesliga season opener on August 29, before traveling to face HEBC Hamburg in the first round of the DFB Cup on September 1.
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