German newspaper, Bild are reporting that Borussia Dortmund are looking to spend big in the summer to return to the heights of their recent success after a disastrous season at the Westfalenstadion and the player in their sights is Argentine striker, Franco Di Santo. The 26-year-old has transformed into one of the Bundesliga’s most potent strikers with Werder Bremen and it is rumoured that Dortmund are willing to pay around $16 million to sign the former Chelsea teenager.

Less than one year ago when Alejandro Sabella named Di Santo in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad, the decision was widely met with derision as national hero Carlos Tevez was overlooked. Argentine football fans had little idea of how he was performing in Germany and many others across the world remembered how the Argentine striker struggled for goals in the Premier League with Chelsea, Blackburn and Wigan.

For those who watched Di Santo in England it at first seems hard to imagine the same player scoring 12 goals from 19 Bundesliga appearances making him among the division’s leading scorers and now the subject of a potential mega-move to one of Europe’s top clubs.

However, it is worth pointing out that Di Santo was signed by Chelsea as an 18-year-old from Chilean side, Audax Italiano. Chelsea’s scouts obviously saw a great deal of potential to spend £3.4 million on the teenager and although it didn’t work out at Stamford Bridge it is understandable that someone of that age would find it difficult to adapt.

His subsequent moves to Blackburn on loan and then permanently to Wigan failed to see much of an improvement as he still found goals hard to come by. In his three seasons at Wigan, Di Santo scored only 13 goals and although there were glimpses of what he could do, these were few and far between.

Playing in a struggling side, like Wigan, as a centre forward in your early twenties is perhaps not the easiest task. At 6 feet four inches, Di Santo is a number nine, who in addition to being able to play with his back to goal and bring teammates into play also looks to dart in behind the backline. It can be a role which takes sometime to learn and certainly at Wigan, Di Santo frustrated more often he delighted the supporters.

After the free transfer to Werder Bremen, Di Santo initially continued to show this inconsistent form which yielded just four goals from his opening season. However, this current campaign has witnessed a reformed Di Santo who is exuding confidence and finding the net regularly.

Bremen’s attacking side which despite sitting ninth has the worst defensive record in the Bundesliga commits men forward but the movement of Di Santo has greatly improved as has composure in front of goal.

With just a year left on his current deal, Werder Bremen are keen to tie him down to an extended contract with CEO, Thomas Eichin saying on the club’s website: “Viktor [Skripnik] wants me to tie Franco Di Santo to a new deal. It’s our top priority now to bind him to the club on a long-term deal.”

With a new deal still not agreed, Bremen may be inclined to cash in this summer rather than rish losing Di Santo for nothing in a year. There has been talk of a return to the Premier League and Di Santo has mentioned that he feels he has something to prove in England but the latest rumour is that of Dortmund overhauling their strikeforce by offloading Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos in order to bring in Di Santo.

For now, Di Santo is pressing again for a national team place and Gerardo Martino has mentioned him recently before naming his squad. He will not make the Copa America squad but next season whether still at Werder Bremen, Dortmund or back in England will be a test for the 25-year-old. He needs to prove to all the doubters that this season is not just a flash in the pan.