Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
The 18-year-old attacker has been under contract with Borussia Dortmund since September 2020. As of June 2023 (all figures are correct as of that date), the young English forward has played 24 games (3 goals, 1 assist) for the first team across all competitions.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens was born in London. His first club was Reading, which is located halfway between London and Oxford. He attracted attention at a young age thanks to his speed, ball control and ability to manoeuvre in tight spaces. Among his stand-out qualities is his incredible skill with both feet, which enables him to find a solution for all kinds of challenges on the pitch.
He joined Borussia Dortmund three years ago, having come through the academy at Manchester City (2018 to 2020). During the Covid-19 pandemic, the BVB youth teams’ fixtures were suspended, then cancelled altogether, after just five games, "That was a tough time, it was right in the middle of the pandemic," he said in an interview with BVB-TV as he looked back on his early days in the youth performance centre.
He initially linked up with the first-team squad for their 2021/22 pre-season preparations. However, he went down with an ankle injury in the first friendly match against Bilbao and was not able to return to the pitch until November. he contributed four goals and five assists to help the Black & Yellows on their way to the U19 Bundesliga title. He was even more impressive in the UEFA Youth League, scoring six goals in five games. In the last-16 tie against a hotly-tipped Manchester United side, he netted twice and converted the decisive spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out. "I like pressure," he said, adding: Either you deal with it or you crumble. I want to be strong and show people what I can do."
By then, he was well and truly on the radar of former head coach Marco Rose, who called him up to the first team squad for the away game in Stuttgart on 8 April 2022. One week later, he made his debut appearance in a 6-1 win over Wolfsburg, in which he gained special praise from his coach: "Jamie is excellent in one-on-one situations.''
"I was relaxed, not nervous. Just full of anticipation to be part of the team. Playing without fear is what I'm all about. I want to stay calm and play my game," said the 17-year-old after his first appearance in the starting line-up on 30 April (a 4-3 defeat against VfL Bochum). One of his exceptional strengths is his success rate in one-on-one situations, as he doesn't lose his balance and control of the ball even at full speed," wrote Ruhr Nachrichten, also describing his work ethic off the pitch as "exemplary". "Looking back, it wasn't an easy road," said Jamie Bynoe-Gittens about his early days at BVB." "I had three ankle injuries. But now I'm back, I'm playing again, and it feels good. I went through a lot in the beginning, but I've put that all behind me."
He has not only suffered from ankle injuries, but also shoulder issues. He was out from the beginning of September 2022 until the end of the year after shoulder surgery, and underwent an operation on the other shoulder in May 2023. Those injuries restricted him to just 15 appearances in the Bundesliga, including four starts. The winger has scored all three of his goals after coming on as a substitute.