Milan vs Dortmund: The Race for Karetsas Heats Up
Konstantinos Karetsas has just turned 18, but the battle around him already looks like one for a finished star, not a prospect.
On one side, Borussia Dortmund, relentless and organized, already deep in negotiations with KRC Genk. On the other, Milan, moving with more subtlety, trusting the pull of a coach’s voice and a long-term vision.
Two strategies. One talent.
Dortmund go straight for the deal
In Germany, they are not wasting time. Dortmund have held several meetings with Genk to try to bring the Greece international to the Bundesliga, and Belgian outlet HLN reports fresh talks are on the agenda again today.
Their opening move was clear: €30 million plus €5 million in add-ons. Genk said no. The Belgian club value Karetsas at around €40 million including bonuses, and they are standing firm.
Dortmund, used to identifying and accelerating young attacking midfielders, are pushing hardest. They see the price. They also see the upside. So they keep coming back to the table.
Milan play the long game
Milan, by contrast, are working a different angle.
According to the same Belgian source, coach Ruben Amorim has already picked up the phone himself, calling Karetsas directly to lay out his project. No intermediaries, no vague promises: a conversation about where the teenager fits, how he would be used, what role he could grow into in the Rossoneri midfield.
It’s a bold move for a club that, at this moment, cannot simply match Dortmund stride for stride in immediate spending. Milan still need to make a sale before they can “go all in” on Karetsas and table a serious offer.
So Amorim’s message matters. He is trying to convince the youngster to wait. To resist the pull of a club already at the negotiating table and hold off until Milan free up the funds.
A €40m decision for a teenager
Genk’s stance is straightforward: the price is around €40 million, bonuses included. For an 18-year-old creative midfielder, that figure underlines just how highly Europe’s scouts rate Karetsas.
Dortmund are already testing that valuation. Milan are circling, not yet ready to strike, but determined not to lose a player they have clearly identified as a priority.
The choice, in the end, may come down to more than money. Does Karetsas follow the quickest route, into a club that has already started the formal process? Or does he buy into Amorim’s call, wait for Milan to sell, and bet on a vision rather than a contract already on the table?
For now, Dortmund negotiate, Milan maneuver, and Genk hold their line. The teenager sits at the center of it all, with a decision that could define the next decade of his career.
