Borussia Dortmund reach agreement in principle for Konstantinos Karetsas
Borussia Dortmund are reportedly on the verge of signing Konstantinos Karetsas, with managing director Lars Ricken confirming from the club's pre-season base in Japan that there is "an agreement in principle between Gent, the player and us".
With the framework of the deal now in place, the 18-year-old is expected to become the long-term successor to the recently departed Julian Brandt as BVB look to add creativity to their attacking midfield for years to come.
While the transfer has yet to be made official, Ricken said the move is progressing as planned, adding that an announcement is likely to wait until after the club's pre-season tour of Japan.
"Of course, we are hoping and are also firmly assuming that – when we return from Japan – he will hopefully be able to join the team," he explained.
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Nevertheless, Dortmund fans can already look forward to the arrival of a creative, technically gifted attacker who is as capable of creating goals as he is of scoring them. The 18-year-old registered three goals and 11 assists in 28 Belgian Pro League appearances for Gent last season, while adding a further seven assists across all competitions.
Despite his age, Karetsas has also established himself on the international stage. Since making his competitive debut for Greece in March 2025, he has earned 10 senior caps – seven of them starts – and has contributed three goals and one assist.
With those impressive numbers in mind, Ricken stressed that Karetsas is not merely a prospect for the future, but a player capable of making an immediate impact. "Konstantinos is a player who can immediately make a sporting impact with his quality. At such a young age, he has already established himself and proven himself in the Belgian league and with the national team. He's a fine player with excellent technical ability!"
If the move is completed as expected, Karetsas could make his competitive debut when Dortmund face fierce rivals Bayern Munich in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on 22 August. The Black-Yellows then begin their Bundesliga campaign the following week at home to Hamburg.
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Karetsas is set to become Dortmund's fourth signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Joane Gadou (RB Salzburg), Justin Lerma (Independiente) and Kauã Prates (Cruzeiro).
He joins a squad that has undergone significant changes, with Brandt (free agent), Niklas Süle (Tiefenbach), Karim Adeyemi (Barcelona) and Salih Özcan (Beşiktaş) all departing permanently, while Cole Campbell (Elversberg), Julien Duranville (Olympique Lyon) and Kjell Wätjen (Midtjylland) have all left on loan.
