So BVB eyes a €20m return as Couto’s loan to Como looms

So Borussia Dortmund (BVB) is set to loan Brazilian left‑back Yan Couto to Serie A side Como Calcio, with a purchase option reportedly worth around €20 million, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The deal emerged over the past weekend and both clubs have already agreed on the loan terms.

The Italian club intends to take Couto on loan initially, securing the option to buy him outright. The loan fee for the summer 2024 period is said to be €5 million, while the future purchase price for summer 2025 is around €20 million, bringing the total potential return to €25 million.

BVB hopes the arrangement will allow Couto to prove himself at his temporary club. If Como exercises the option, Dortmund would recoup the majority of the €25 million it originally spent on the permanent transfer.

Couto’s salary, estimated at roughly €5 million per year, has been a notable expense for Dortmund. Recovering most of the outlay would ease the financial burden on the German side.

Since joining the yellow‑black shirt, Couto has featured in 62 competitive matches but has not fulfilled the high expectations placed on him. The loan therefore offers a chance to reset his trajectory.

Negotiations had previously appeared to stall because the financial framework could not be agreed upon. Recent reports indicate that the clubs have finally aligned on both the loan fee and the purchase option.

With the transfer now close to completion, the next step is Couto’s move to Como, where his performances will determine whether the €20 million option is triggered.

The outcome will reveal whether BVB’s strategy of recouping its investment through a loan‑to‑buy clause succeeds, and it will set a precedent for handling similar transfer‑flop situations.