Amazing home fans. Development potential. Personal calls from the manager himself. First team opportunities.

These are just some of the reasons football's best young football talent is shunning the advances of the world's cashed-up elite clubs to sign for Borussia Dortmund.

In a January transfer period bereft of the frenzied speculation that usually comes with a window-opening; and punctuated briefly by the annual cash-laden migration to China - Dortmund has again taken centre stage, tipping out Real Madrid to the signature of highly-rated Swedish striker Alexander Isak.

Why Dortmund won the January transfer window

The announcement of the deal was sandwiched in between news over the past month that young stars Christian Pulisic and Julien Weigl have re-signed with the club.

A tall, skilful lad who has drawn inevitable comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Isak has in the last season become Sweden’s youngest-capped player, youngest goal-scorer and netted 10 from 22 matches for Swedish Club AIK. He joins a growing cache of young stars at the Bundesliga club. 

There’s Ousmane Dembele, the two-footed flyer who has drawn comparisons to Neymar. Dortmund prevailed over a host of clubs, including Barcelona, to nab his signature from Rennes in January.

Pulisic, a United States international, has been likened to Lionel Messi for his ability to skin defenders, create and finish chances.

Weigl brings the type of composed passing game that has drawn comparisons to Barcelona metronome Sergio Busquets. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Bayern Munich have expressed interest in signing him, before he made the decision in December to stick with Dortmund.

Dortmund manager Tomas Tuchel deploys Turkish technician Emre Mor late in games to befuddle tired defenders. The diminutive play-maker can dribble, pass and unleashes a lethal shot when given the opportunity.

This is just a handful of the young talent treading the boards at the Westfallonstadion and filling fans with hope of a bright future.

When asked why they opted for Dortmund, the answers have a common theme: manager Thomas Tuchel, the club’s fans, the potential to develop as a player and the opportunities for first team action. - a compelling mix for a player looking to establish himself in the top echelon of an increasingly competitive professional market. 

After bringing the curtain down on one of the most keenly-watched transfer decisions of the Summer, Dembele explained his choice to Goal: "The way they showed an interest in me and gave me the feeling they really wanted me convinced me to join Dortmund.

"I have had a lot of meetings with head coach Thomas Tuchel since Dortmund first got in touch in the winter. I am convinced he is the right coach to help me develop.

Mor echoed that sentiment in an interview with 90 Min: "I was not even thinking about Dortmund but then I got a call from Thomas Tuchel and he told me directly that he wants me at the club and that he has big plans for me.

“If it was not for Tuchel I probably would not have joined but he convinced me where nobody else could.”

Before re-signing, Pulisic explained why he preferred Dortmund to others: "I still need to learn a lot.

"I have the best conditions for it here at Dortmund, and I have the chance to play in front of over 80,000 people. We have the best fans in the world. It can't get better than this."

With Tuchel appearing to have found the balance between tactician and man-manager, Dortmund has not only set about rebuilding post-Jurgen Klopp, it is slowly shedding its reputation as a club that makes headlines for the players it loses, rather than those it signs.

With first team opportunities up for grabs, one of the truly great home match day experiences and a manager who invests time and effort into developing his young stars, Dortmund is making a compelling case as a destination for young talent looking to take the next step in their career.