Both men are currently contracted only until the end of the season, according to Sport Bild, though there is understood to be no doubt internally that the club wants to continue working with both beyond that point.
Kovač signed a one-year extension through June 2027 last summer after steering Dortmund from 11th place to a fourth-placed Bundesliga finish and Champions League qualification following his appointment in place of Nuri Şahin.
It remains unclear how many years any fresh extension for the 54-year-old might cover, with Dortmund said to be planning for the long term around the Croatian, who is tasked with developing a new playing identity at the club while continuing to challenge Bayern Munich for domestic honours this season.
The club wants Kovač's stable defensive foundations to be paired with a clearer attacking identity as the new campaign progresses, with those close to the situation suggesting there is little concern that the delay reflects any cooling of the relationship between coach and club. Instead, the sequencing appears to be a procedural matter, with Ricken's own position needing to be resolved before formal talks over Kovač's future can proceed.
Borussia Dortmund's hierarchy remains focused on building continuity in the dugout as the club looks to build on last season's progress under Kovač's leadership, with the extension talks expected to move quickly once Ricken's own contract situation is finalised.
Ricken, who has served as the club's managing director for sport, was central to confirming Kovač's arrival in January 2025 following Şahin's dismissal, and praised the coach at the time of his last extension for restoring defensive stability and a more attractive style of play at Signal Iduna Park. That relationship is understood to remain strong, with the current delay described as procedural rather than a sign of any disagreement between the two parties over the club's direction.
Dortmund will be hoping to build on last season's return to the Champions League as the new Bundesliga campaign gets under way, with Kovač continuing preparations regardless of the ongoing uncertainty around his own long-term future at the club.