ISTANBUL 

Borussia Dortmund appointed Niko Kovac as their new head coach on Thursday, replacing Nuri Sahin.

"The 53-year-old, born in Berlin, has signed a contract with BVB until June 30, 2026, and will officially take charge next Sunday after the club’s Bundesliga match against Heidenheim," the German football club said in a statement.

"Borussia Dortmund will officially introduce Niko Kovac at a press conference next week."

Kovac has previously coached the senior Croatian national team, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, Monaco, and Wolfsburg.

The 53-year-old manager led Bayern Munich to win the 2019 Bundesliga title.

With 26 points, Dortmund are ranked 11th in the Bundesliga standings, claiming just one of their past eight domestic games.

Last week, the club parted ways with head coach Sahin after just seven months.