According to Goal.com, M. Sabitzer has played over 600 professional matches, and this experienced midfielder should not be easily rattled. Since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2023, the midfielder has become the target of various rumors and speculation.

In this regard, the summer transfer window may not have been particularly eventful for M. Sabitzer. However, discussions about the Austrian midfielder have remained constant and clearly intensified as the transfer window approached its close.

This is primarily related to his form. M. Sabitzer's performances have fluctuated significantly over his three seasons at Dortmund. His contributions have often been underwhelming, and even when he has had excellent periods, they have rarely lasted long. Overall, despite making 117 competitive appearances, M. Sabitzer has lacked consistency throughout this period, never establishing himself as an undisputed starter.

Although he finished last season in this role, it was largely due to Felix Nmecha's injury. In the previous year, M. Sabitzer made 26 starts and his direct goal contributions of 5 were not particularly impressive. His opportunities in central midfield or as a defensive midfielder are limited, and when paired with Nmecha, manager Nico Kovac has often preferred Jude Bellingham instead.

Additionally, M. Sabitzer's contract runs until the end of June 2027, and Borussia Dortmund have signed Joey Veerman, who can play in M. Sabitzer's primary position. This naturally made him a target of transfer speculation. In mid-August, when Dortmund held a team meeting, M. Sabitzer reportedly left early before even some of his final teammates arrived, which only fueled further speculation.

Over the past two weeks, one thing has become clear: M. Sabitzer will remain with Borussia Dortmund at least until the winter break. His agent Roger Wittmann told Sky Sports on the final day of the transfer window that the player himself was "very happy" at Dortmund. Wittmann also revealed that at his current club, M. Sabitzer can maintain performances at a "high level".

However, according to his agent, M. Sabitzer may not be interested in every offer that comes. Should an offer matching the market value for a player who has earned 102 caps for the Austrian national team arrive, Dortmund would certainly not refuse. But since no such offer has materialized, M. Sabitzer will continue at Dortmund, which represents the beginning of his farewell tour. Wittmann meaningfully stated that "within the next year" his client might consider all available options.

By then, Borussia Dortmund will no longer be an option. The club has no intention of extending M. Sabitzer's contract. The reason is clear: he has not only failed to fully meet expectations on the pitch but also commands a very high salary. M. Sabitzer's annual salary is estimated at 8 million euros, while Bayern Munich paid 19 million euros for his transfer. New signings including Veerman, Karetsas, and Constantelias are each expected to earn no more than half that amount.

This is a familiar and painful story for Dortmund: some players' performances do not match their high salaries, yet they remain until their contracts expire. This has happened before with Nico Schulz, Wolf, Niklas Süle, and Özcan. Who can really blame them?

The simple answer is: social media users, of course! There, M. Sabitzer has long been a scapegoat due to his underwhelming performances. Recently, the situation escalated to the point where Katja, M. Sabitzer's wife, felt compelled to respond on social media.

Under a post repeating Wittmann's statement, one user wrote that he "really hopes we can get rid of this bottle of water." M. Sabitzer's wife, winner of the 2014 season of the German reality TV show "The Bachelor," responded: "I'd really like to know what you've achieved in your life?" The user continued sarcastically: "I was on 'The Bachelor', what about you?" Mrs. M. Sabitzer shot back immediately: "Ha, you guys are really mean. Your response says everything. You have no idea about my life."

M. Sabitzer's problem is that in the eyes of many Dortmund fans, he represents an outdated approach. He is a symbol of old Dortmund—where the club invests large transfer fees and high salaries in established, slightly older players only to see minimal returns. The relatively fresh approach of the new management and the energetic work of sports director Ole Burkhardt during this summer had raised hopes that players like M. Sabitzer, and even Bensebaini and Emre Can, would move on.

However, this may wait another year. For now, it is too early to say that M. Sabitzer is completely without value to the team.

Kovac appreciates his experience, aggressive playing style, and versatility. This is also part of the truth: M. Sabitzer is a versatile central midfielder, and Borussia Dortmund have had too many players of this profile recently. His lack of consistency is also related to the fact that he rarely plays in the same position for extended periods.

This situation is likely to continue in his final year at Dortmund. With Nmecha, Bellingham, and Veerman competing for midfield places, M. Sabitzer will likely need to shift his focus to the wing and half-space areas, similar to how he plays for the Austrian national team. He also temporarily stepped back from international duty due to an excessive workload in recent years. So far, Kovac has not given him a starting opportunity in the Bundesliga.

However, in the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, M. Sabitzer started and performed strongly, demonstrating high intensity and good pressing on multiple occasions. Even as a substitute, his recent performances have been satisfactory after Kovac labeled him a "goal scorer." Previously, in the match against Paderborn, M. Sabitzer assisted Nmecha's bicycle kick goal.

Unless one of his rivals gets injured, M. Sabitzer's role as a rotation player will unlikely change significantly, unless he can deliver more effectiveness in the attacking midfielder position—where he feels more comfortable at Borussia Dortmund, just as he does for the Austrian national team. Since 2023, he has made 31 appearances for Austria, scoring 13 goals. In contrast, before joining Dortmund, he managed only 6 goals in 42 appearances.

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