The first six months of Gonzalo Castro's Borussia Dortmund career have been something of a roller-coaster ride. Signed from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for €11 million, per Transfermarkt, thanks to a release clause, the 28-year-old was supposed to replace Ilkay Gundogan in central midfield.
When Dortmund's No. 8 extended his contract in July, Castro seemed like the odd man out. Head coach Thomas Tuchel tried to get him involved, playing him at right-back in the UEFA Europa League qualifier against Odds BK in August—an experiment that lasted 45 minutes.
The man who made his professional debut for boyhood club Leverkusen at 17 years of age looked on his way to becoming a failed signing in the eyes of some impatient supporters.