5 players Borussia Dortmund should target to replace Mats Hummels

Borussia Dortmund is now very much in the market for a new centre-back after the club announced that German defender Mats Hummels has expressed a desire to depart the team in order to join Bayern Munich in the summer window, like Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze before him.

With standouts Ilkay Gundogan, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also certain to attract attention in July and August, Dortmund may need to undergo a bit of change in order to continue to challenge the Bavarian giants for the Bundesliga crown.

But, as it stands, here are five players who Dortmund should target to replace their departing captain:

Shkodran Mustafi

As a young German central defender looking for a new club, Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi fits the bill for the kind of player Dortmund would be looking to sign. The 24-year-old made 36 appearances in all competitions for Los Che this season, and while the Gary Neville saga largely skewed his results, Mustafi remained a regular call-up for the national team.

If Dortmund wants Mustafi, they'll have to act fast, though, as former manager Jurgen Klopp has his eye on the embattled defender to reinforce Liverpool's defensive ranks, if British tabloids are to be believed.

Jonathan Tah

Speaking of young, German, and full of potential, Bayer Leverkusen up-and-comer Jonathan Tah has turned heads this season with his confident, consistent performances for the third-place side. Tah has plenty of upside, and his 43 appearances in all competitions come despite his only being 20 years old.

Fabian Schar​

Swiss defender Fabian Schar attracted the attention of Dortmund for a few transfer windows prior to his eventual signing with 1899 Hoffenheim out of FC Basel in 2015. While he is still a new signing at the club, the 24-year-old could be tempted to make another switch, to the Westfalenstadion.

He has 24 appearances in all competitions for Hoffenheim, and is a regular with the Swiss national team, too. He's also quite adept at taking penalties - he took them regularly with Basel, notching six goals from the spot over two seasons. That's a nice little bonus for Dortmund to consider.

Alvaro Dominguez

If there's a like-for-like replacement in mind at the Dortmund braintrust, then Borussia Monchengladbach's Spanish defender, Alvaro Dominguez, might just be a good option. Hummels' best strength is his ability to play the ball out of the backline, pushing forward and helping to kick-start an offensive play. Dominguez is just as comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Dominguez, 26, is also versatile, capable of playing at left full-back, and has the added benefit of being somewhat out of favour this season, making but eight appearances for the club despite being a regular contributor in the season prior. If Dortmund is looking to invest Hummels' transfer fee elsewhere, Dominguez could be a cheaper alternative.

Matthias Ginter

While there are quite a few options in the market for a replacement, Dortmund often doesn't need to look too far to find replacements for its departed players. Instead, the club could give more responsibility to the young and hungry Matthias Ginter.

Having played and excelled in a variety of positions this season, Ginter has certainly earned manager Thomas Tuchel's trust. At 22, he has already made 36 appearances in all competitions this season. Combined with Neven Subotic or Sokratis in the middle of the defence, perhaps Dortmund already has a ready made replacement in their own ranks.