By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A hat trick against Spanish powerhouse Barcelona could pave the way for a transfer to a top European club for Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.

While the 29-year-old Guinean international stepped into the spotlight due to his treble in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, an exit clause in his contract with the Black and Yellows has come to light.

Hours after the 2025 Champions League quarterfinal exit (5-3 on aggregate), the sports magazine Sport-Bild reported a 70 million euros exit clause (including all bonus payments) in his Borussia Dortmund contract until 2028.

Scoring his 13th goal, along with seven assists, the former Stuttgart striker became the first African player to score at least 12 goals in a Champions League season, according to the statistics provider Opta.

With his recent achievement, he outpaced former Dortmund strikers such as Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

The Sport-Bild report discussed Guirassy as the second Borussia Dortmund striker to have a comparable exit clause like Haaland, who joined the Sky Blues in 2022 for a reported 60 million.

The 1.87-meter-tall striker made his "international" breakthrough in the shirt of VfB Stuttgart by scoring 28 season goals in the previous season.

Now, as the paper reportedly includes, six exclusive clubs are mentioned in his contract as possible destinations. Premier League side Chelsea is said to be one of them.

The report suggests Guirassy would have to stay in Dortmund until after the FIFA Club World Cup, played in the U.S. from June 14 to July 13, before departing.

While the striker is said to desire playing Champions League every season, the 2021 German Cup winner is struggling to reach this season's qualification spots in the national league with five rounds of matches remaining.

The sought-after striker is described as a rare forward who addresses scoring matters alongside high technical skills, turning him into a vital game-making force and a team leader.

Club bosses reportedly praise him as a "mentor" for younger players in addition to his goal record.

The media report mentioned the attacker's ambitions, while his family is said to feel comfortable in Dortmund.

The striker denied transfer thoughts. "I leave that to my advisors as they know what is best for me." ■