This was reported in late June:
German daily Bild provided a throwaway line in an article on Borussia Dortmund on Friday, which has raised hopes that Arsenal, Liverpool or even Southampton could land Sven Bender this summer.
The article in Bild was focused on the ins and outs at Borussia Dortmund this summer.
Following last year’s turbulent campaign, Thomas Tuchel has now replaced Jurgen Klopp in the dugout at the Signal Iduna Park, and BVB now have a busy summer locking down the squad for next season.
Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic has committed their futures to Dortmund, however Bild believe that Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos is now likely to leave the club before the start of next season.
Similarly, Bild report that German international midfielder Sven Bender is looking at the Borussia exit door.
Bender is currently on £41k a week, but the midfielder believes he can earn more if he switches clubs this summer.
Significantly, Bild report that Bender has had “contact with Arsenal, Liverpool and Southampton” about a move.
The German international’s contract with Dortmund runs until 2017.
If truth be told, it’s unclear whether Arsenal or Liverpool should move for Bender. The 26-year-old is coming from a poor 2014-15 season, where he looked to be but a shell of his old self.
Injury sidelined Bender towards the end of the 2013-14 season, and he hasn’t been the same since.
He totaled 32 appearances for Dortmund in 2014-15, coming off the bench in almost a third of those occasions.