Borussia Dortmund sporting director Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has changed the club's transfer strategy, toning down interest in a permanent move for Jadon Sancho and prioritising the arrival of a creative midfielder.
The German club are eyeing Arsenal's 19-year-old Ethan Nwaneri - currently on loan at Marseille - as the ideal replacement for Julian Brandt, although the player's high rating remains a major obstacle.
For this reason, interest in Sancho has been "put on hold", while Dortmund explore new tactical directions.
Although the Englishman remains a possible option for later in the summer, he is no longer the club's top priority.
This change is related to Dortmund's tactical system with three defenders, where the team requires more of a flexible "number 10" who can also move to the flank, rather than a traditional winger.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Book said: "It could be sooner or later. Everyone, including the technical staff, would prefer to make one or two transfers before the start of the summer preparations."
In an attempt to replace Brandt, Dortmund have revived their interest in Nwaneri, who is ending his loan spell at Marseille.
He is seen as an ideal profile for the creative role in midfield.
The club had lost the race for him a year earlier when he renewed with Arsenal until 2030.
Although he is open to a move to the Bundesliga, a deal remains complicated due to the high price tag and the difficulty of a new loan.
In addition to him, Dortmund are also tracking 16-year-old Hertha Berlin talent Kenneth Eichhorn, who has also attracted interest from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen.
Ole Book has admitted that the club highly values the player, saying: "He has special creativity. We know him well and we like him a lot, but like many other clubs. The rest remains to be seen."
Eichhorn has a release clause of around €9 million, but the total cost of the transfer would be high for his age, including bonuses and wages./Express newspaper/