Former Germany midfielder Lars Ricken has been appointed managing director at Borussia Dortmund, taking over some of the responsibilities of chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke before he steps down, the club said in a statement on Monday.
Ricken has signed a contract until June 30, 2027. He most recently worked as director of the club's youth training centre.
"I'm convinced that with the incredible strength of this club and the passion of our many motivated employees, we will achieve great victories together and guide Borussia Dortmund into a successful future," said Ricken, a scorer when Dortmund won the 1997 Champions League.
Watzke had already announced he will leave the board of the club next year and the club are in effect succession planning.
Dortmund also said that Sven Mislintat will be integrated into the new sporting management as technical director with a focus on squad planning.
The German, born in Dortmund, was a key part of the Bundesliga club's scouting department and helped them win the title in 2011 and 2012.
Most recently he worked at Dutch record champions Ajax as technical director, but was dismissed in September after only four months in the job.
There had been speculation he might replace Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl but it seems now that Watzke, Ricken, former club captain Kehl and Mislintat will all have roles in the immediate future.
Dortmund, who sit fifth in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League semis, also brought back their former players Nuri Sahin and Sven Bender in the mid-season break to assist coach Edin Terzic - a former technical director.