Thomas Delaney: 'I like to take responsibility'

Thomas Delaney’s last goal in the Bundesliga came against Borussia Dortmund, the club he moved to in the summer. It was one of three that he scored for for Werder Bremen last season. But as he readily admits, although he can chip in the odd goal, the Black and Yellows didn't sign him for his scoring prowess.

"I'm no Marco Reus or [Christian] Pulisic, I'm not going to dribble down the line, beat three players and put it in the top corner," he told DW. "I would like to play every game, but that won't happen at a club like this. I'm very aware of that."

Despite his modest numbers going forward, the club was still prepared to pay a reported €20 million ($23 million) to secure his services. The Danish international had other offers on the table, but he decided to stay in the Bundesliga – joining a club that could offer him Champions League football this season.

"This wasn't an easy decision for me," the 27-year-old said. "I could have gone somewhere else where I would certainly have played every game. I could also have stayed in Bremen. But I came here to challenge myself."

The answer to Dortmund's woes?

It is precisely that ambition and desire that Dortmund were looking for in a box-to-box midfielder.

The player's soft-spoken nature is very much in contrast to the energy he delivers on the pitch. In recent seasons Dortmund's attacking power has been the least of their worries, a lack of defensive stability was often the team's Achilles heel. Delaney, along with fellow new faces Abdou Diallo and Axel Witsel, is expected to help solve Dortmund's defensive problems.

"I like to take responsibility. I feel at my best when I'm living the game. I don't feel comfortable if I'm not trying to help others," Delaneysaid.

The fact that he is a proven leader was a key factor that led Dortmund to go after him. Delaney began his career at FC Copenhagen, the club where he had come through as a youth. He rose up through the ranks and after becoming Copenhagen's captain, he led the team to five league titles and four Danish cups.

Copenhagen also gave Delaney his first taste of Champions League football, and in 2011, he was part of the squad that reached the round of 16 – the only Danish side ever to reach the knockout stages of the tournament. Delaney is now back in Europe's most prestigious club competition, but this time he is with a club that expects nothing less than reaching the latter stages.

Different worlds

Having spent more than 20 years with Denmark's most successful club, Delaney is no stranger to dealing with high expectations, but he also knows that playing in Dortmund is a completely different proposition.

"There's a lot of pressure, we have 80,000 spectators at home who expect a lot from us, but the pressure to perform also comes from within the squad," Delaney said. "We have a lot of young players who haven't won big trophies – yet. They know they're good and know they can do it."

At 27, Delaney is one of the veterans in a squad that features teenagers such as Achraf Hakimi, Jadon Sancho and Dan-Axel Zagadou, and he is determined to do whatever it takes to establish himself as a key part of the Dortmund setup. But he's not prepared to make any promises about winning titles. 

"I can't say we are going to win this or that, it's always difficult. But for me, it's all about settling in and knowing that I have a future here."