Marco Reus contract extension boosts desperate Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke believes Reus could become his club’s equivalent of Steven Gerrard. “We never let ourselves be guided by all the rumours and saw a good chance that this exceptional player deliberately opts for a future with Dortmund,” he said.

“Marco can shape an era in Dortmund, as has been done before him by Uwe Seeler in Hamburg or Steven Gerrard in Liverpool. That Marco has decided to remain, in the midst of a sporting crisis for BVB, shows a high degree of identification, of which we are very proud.”

Klopp’s domestic plight has come about largely because of injuries, and Reus has suffered from more than his fair share of those recently. He missed Germany’s World Cup triumph in Brazil with ankle ligament damage, and has broken down with similar problems on two occasions since.

Perhaps earmarked as a potential long-term successor to Real and Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo, 25-year-old Reus has still managed a goal every other game (seven in 14 across all competitions) this term.

Leading Premier League clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were also linked with him, but Jose Mourinho’s Blues made a reported £24m winter window move for Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina instead.

Bundesliga champions, leaders and Dortmund’s increasingly bitter rivals Bayern Munich were rumoured to hold interest too but, having poached Poland striker Robert Lewandowski and bought Mario Gotze for big money from them in the last two years, this option looked unlikely.

Reus netted the opener in his last outing at Freiburg as Klopp’s team ran out 3-0 winners to move off the bottom. Dortmund are odds-on at 1/3 to follow up that victory with another against Mainz.