Dortmund pays €35 million for Kos Karetsas, Milan offered more

Kos Karetsas left KRC Genk in the mid-season for Borussia Dortmund, with the German top club paying €35 million. The 18‑year‑old Greek midfielder was represented by Stijn Francis, who closely oversaw the transfer.

Why Dortmund went after Karetsas

Dortmund had been tracking the player for more than three years, according to his father Vaios Karetsas, who reported that scouting reports from 2023 existed. The club met all conditions and was from the start at the top of the young Greek’s wish list, who came from Limburg.

Other European top clubs showed interest

Stijn Francis revealed that AC Milan was willing to pay more than €35 million, a bid that arrived on the same day as the agreement between Genk, Dortmund and Karetsas. The Milan offer came from another European top club that wanted to outbid the German offer.

Genk decided to let the player choose for himself, unlike the “transfer soap” surrounding Malick Fofana. The Limburg management asked Karetsas what he wanted, after which he chose Dortmund.

Francis praised the way of working of De Smurfen, the KRC Genk team, as an example of a proper transfer process. He emphasized that the management played the game entirely correctly, something that, according to him, remains an exception.

For Dortmund, the arrival of the ten‑time Greek international strengthens their midfield and represents an investment in young talent. For Karetsas, the German club offers a platform to develop in a competitive environment, exactly as he had long desired.

The transfer underscores both Borussia Dortmund’s ambition and KRC Genk’s professional approach, with both parties benefiting from a transparent agreement.