Joey Veerman has wasted no time setting out the job at Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder says the club have to close the gap on Bayern München, and he has already seen enough in Germany to know the standard is higher, the games are more intense, and the demand is to keep winning.

Dortmund's target is Bayern

Veerman made his competitive Dortmund debut in the season-opening Franz Beckenbauer Supercup loss to Bayern Munich. Since then, Dortmund have won five straight matches in all competitions, and Veerman’s message has stayed the same: “Yes, for sure. We have to close the gap on Bayern. We have to win a lot of games to do that.”

That is backed up by the table as well as the mood. Dortmund are second in the 2026 Bundesliga standings, with Bayern first, so the chase is not theoretical. Veerman also pointed to next week’s trip to Stuttgart as another difficult step, which fits the tone of his interview more than any grand statement about where Dortmund already stand.

Veerman's early fit at Dortmund

The move clearly suits him. Veerman spent five seasons in Eindhoven before joining Dortmund, and he said that after earlier options the switch felt like the right step. He also made clear that he prefers starting matches, saying it is easier than coming on in the middle of one because he can show what he can do from the beginning.

There is already some output too. Veerman has made three Bundesliga appearances this season and has two goal contributions, which sits neatly alongside his claim that Dortmund’s style works for him. He said he wants the ball often and asks for it always, and he has also described Signal Iduna Park as giving him goosebumps when the fans are singing during the warm-up.

Veerman’s comments on Serhou Guirassy point in the same direction. “I’m impressed by his quality. I can always find him,” he said. “He always moves towards the ball to connect with the players. This is what I like, and also in front of the goal he’s really sharp. He is a top striker.” Dortmund face Stuttgart away next week, and Veerman’s first few weeks in Germany already look more like a player settling in than one waiting to be convinced.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →