Borussia Dortmund sign teenage centre-back Joane Gadou from Red Bull Salzburg
Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of 19-year-old centre-back Joane Gadou from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg.
Gadou, who came through the youth ranks at Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Salzburg in 2024, joins Die Schwarzgelben on a contract until 2031.
The teenager’s arrival comes five days after Dortmund defender Niklas Süle announced he will retire from professional football at the end of the season.
"We've known about Joane for a long time and were watching him at PSG. Joane will bolster our ranks and take on an important role with us from the start of the new season. We're convinced of his qualities and see enormous potential for development," explained CEO Lars Ricken.
Sporting director Ole Book added: "Joane is a modern and physically strong centre-back. He's good in build-up play, extremely fast and also still able to develop. Joane is the optimal addition for our defence."
Gadou himself said of his move: "I'm so happy to be part of the BVB family in the future. I can hardly wait to wear the black and yellow shirt for the first time. I want to enjoy success here in the coming years with my teammates, the whole club and our incredible fans."
Gadou has made 58 appearances for Salzburg since leaving Paris for the Austrian top flight in 2024, including all three of their group games at last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
The 1.95m defender has represented France at every level from the U16s to the U19s, for whom he has made eight appearances to date.
