Borussia's new coach, Matthias Sammer, is going ahead with his task of streamlining the club's huge first team pool. Four players are being freed - defender Carsten Baumann, Russian midfielders Vladimir But and Bosnian midfielder Sead Kapetanovic as well as Ghanaian striker Ibrahim Tanko.

But and Tanko are both products of Borussia's youth training school. Tanko, 23, been with the club for eight years. Lars Ricken, another much-celebrated product of Borussia's youth policy, may also be on the move soon. Werder Bremen have opened negotiations for his transfer.