Dortmund signs Greek talent

Berlin – AFP – German club Borussia Dortmund signed young Greek forward Konstantinos Karatzas from Belgian side Genk on Monday in a five-year deal worth an estimated 30 million euros ($34 million), plus additional bonuses and incentives.

The 18-year-old Karatzas, who can play as a right winger or as an attacking midfielder, has already scored three goals in ten appearances for the Greek national team. He also provided 11 assists in 28 league matches last season.

Dortmund had been seeking more creativity in midfield following the departure of veteran Julian Brandt, who left the club on a free transfer during the summer.

In a statement, Karatzas said: “Borussia Dortmund is a special club, and I am very proud to wear the black and yellow shirt from now on.”

Sporting director Oliver Bock said Karatzas “will add to the team thanks to his creativity and intelligence. He is a player with high technical skills and the ability to find quick solutions in tight spaces, especially in the attacking third.”

Dortmund, runners-up in the 2024 UEFA Champions League, continued their activity in the summer transfer window after finishing last season in second place behind league champions Bayern Munich. The club was also linked with a move for young German-Lebanese forward Said Al-Mulla from Cologne.

Torsten Frings, who managed Karatzas at Genk during the 2024-2025 season, told AFP’s SID sports agency in July that the Greek player is “a classic playmaker of the type known in the past.”

Frings added: “Technically, he is an exceptional player, with good dribbling skills and the ability to deliver the final assist.”