Photo: Kovac s annual salary after renewal of contract is 4.5 million euros, if Dortmund wins the Bundesliga bonus exceeds 1 million euros

August 28: Dortmund officially announced a contract renewal with coach Kovac earlier this week. German media Bild revealed that his salary increased to 4.5 million euros after the renewal, and his contract also stipulates terms of the agreement. The report stated that Dortmund's contract renewal with Kovac until 2027 is a signal of mutual trust and sustainable development: Kovac can work without interruption in the new season and continue to establish his tactical philosophy, system and values ​​within.

Sports General Manager Ricken has planned to enter the new season since the summer without an expiring coaching contract – the goal is to signal players to long-term recognition of Kovac’s path. Although negotiations between the two sides were rapid, they were also quite difficult. "Board" learned about the new contract terms and revealed changes in salary, termination terms, and championship bonus:

1. Salary increase: Last season, the coach's annual salary exceeded 3.5 million euros. From now on, his income has increased significantly to about €4.5 million. The salary increase was a logical result: Kovac led Dortmund to qualify for the Champions League in the second half in the crisis situation of 11th in the first half, and reached the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup in the summer.

2. Champion bonus: Due to the almost impossible Champions League qualification, Kovac has received a special bonus of 750,000 euros this summer. If he wins the championship in the new season, he will get more. The championship bonus is a must-have clause in the coaching contract, where if you win the Bundesliga title, Kovac can expect a reward of more than 1 million euros, which is an attractive incentive.

3. Termination clause: If the club's senior management wants to fire the head coach in advance in the future if the record is not good, this will be very economically heavy for Dortmund. According to Biography, the two parties reached a termination compensation provision in contract negotiations: Kovac can receive an immediate one-time payment and then sign a contract with the new club immediately.

Kovac had similar clauses in his contract last season: If he fails to lead the team to the Champions League, Dortmund can fire him, but must pay two-thirds of his remaining salary.

4. Power: Kovac's internal influence is getting stronger and stronger. In contract negotiations, the speed of progress mainly comes from him. Now the team's lineup and transfer have been clearly built according to his needs. For example: With the signing of Chuk Umeka from Chelsea for 20 million euros plus bonuses, another midfielder was added to the team and was abandoned in terms of wing signings. In terms of personnel, he also got the opportunity to play freely and was able to form a new coaching team.

He maintains a close relationship of trust with senior management and club leadership. In the eyes of the stars, Kovac is seen as a respected figure who will accurately control all processes (such as the recent mandatory ice bucket recovery training).

However: After a stumbled victory over German C team Essen (1-0) in the first match of the German Cup, and a terrible 3-3 draw against Sao Pauli, Kovac still has many problems to solve. But with this new contract, sports general manager Ricken has brought stability at least temporarily in the position of head coach.