Borussia Dortmund Sporting Director Lars Ricken has stated that Niklas Süle and Salih Özcan will leave the club at the end of the season. Özcan is reported as a transfer target for Trabzonspor, and it is expected that the first contact will be made in the coming weeks. According to the German press, the option of a move to Turkey is being seriously considered by Salih. It is considered highly likely that Trabzonspor will be more successful than Beşiktaş in securing this transfer if the club finishes the season in the top 2 and qualifies for the Champions League.

As part of their early planning for the summer transfer window, Trabzonspor is focusing on domestic players to add to their first team. Salih Özcan, a 28-year-old Turkish international defensive midfielder whose contract with Borussia Dortmund is set to expire, is a priority candidate. Coach Fatih Tekke provided a list of targets that includes Özcan, along with Oğuz Aydın, Aral Şimşir, and Ümit Akdağ. Özcan, who joined Dortmund in July 2022, has 27 caps and one goal for Türkiye and has made 7 appearances in the Bundesliga this season. His current market value is €3.50m, according to Transfermarkt, and he has also been linked with İstanbul Başakşehir, Galatasaray, and Beşiktaş.