Once hailed as a visionary scout, Sven Mislintat has once again exited a major club amid controversy.
His latest departure from Borussia Dortmund, following a reported power struggle with Sebastian Kehl, mirrors the turbulent endings of his stints at Arsenal and Ajax.
Sven Mislintat has once again found himself forced out amid controversy, as Borussia Dortmund announce his sacking with immediate effect following a reported power struggle with Sebastian Kehl.
Just months into his return to the club where he first made his name as a scout, Mislintat’s latest exit continues a pattern of abrupt and contentious departures, with his tenures at Arsenal and Ajax also ending in turmoil.
His initial rise at Dortmund, where he earned the nickname “Diamond Eye” for unearthing talents such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Shinji Kagawa, led to his high-profile appointment at Arsenal in 2017.
Tasked with modernising the club’s recruitment strategy, his tenure in North London quickly soured amid internal conflicts. Mislintat envisioned himself as the long-term architect of Arsenal’s squad, yet he found himself sidelined when Raúl Sanllehí took greater control over transfer dealings.
His departure in 2019 came amid reports of frustration over his diminished influence, with his final months clouded by disagreements over strategy and recruitment direction.
After a relatively stable stint at VfB Stuttgart, where he played a crucial role in the club’s Bundesliga resurgence, Mislintat’s next opportunity at Ajax was marred by scandal.
Appointed as sporting director in 2023, he quickly became embroiled in allegations of conflicts of interest, accused of steering signings towards agents with whom he had personal ties. The controversial acquisition of Anton Gaaei and the €12.3 million signing of former Arsenal youngster, Chuba Akpom, widely regarded as overpriced, raised serious concerns over his financial decision-making.
Internal unrest soon followed, with growing friction between Mislintat and Ajax’s hierarchy. His tenure lasted just a few months before he was dismissed in August 2023, leaving the Dutch giants scrambling to repair the damage to their recruitment model.
Now, less than a year after his return to Dortmund, Mislintat finds himself in familiar circumstances. His working relationship with Kehl – who recently extended his contract until 2027 – has reportedly broken down, mirroring his past conflicts at Arsenal and Ajax.
With Dortmund languishing in 11th place in the Bundesliga and facing a play-off in the Champions League, tensions within the club have only intensified. The departure of Nuri Şahin and the club’s search for a permanent head coach before Niko Kovač was appointed only added to the instability.
For Mislintat, this latest setback raises deeper questions about his management style and ability to operate effectively within elite football structures. While his reputation as a sharp-eyed talent scout remains, his post-Dortmund career has been increasingly defined by discord, controversy, and exits under a cloud.
Whether he can rebuild his standing once more remains to be seen, but his trajectory since leaving Arsenal has been anything but smooth.