Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Konstantinos Karetsas from KRC Genk for a €30m fee. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder and right winger arrives with creative pedigree and real top-flight minutes behind him. He is left-footed, 171 cm tall, and wore the number 20 at Genk. You can follow his performances and Sofascore Rating on Sofascore throughout the season.

Deal details and why Dortmund moved now

The transfer was finalized on 3 August 2026, with Dortmund securing Karetsas from Genk in a permanent deal listed at €30m. For an 18-year-old with a full Pro League season and senior international minutes, the fee reflects both present ability and clear upside. Karetsas is comfortable as an attacking midfielder and on the right flank, where his left foot opens passing and shooting angles. He brings ball progression and final-third vision that suit a team looking to add variety between the lines. The timing also fits Dortmund’s preseason build-up, giving Niko Kovač a chance to integrate him before the Bundesliga restarts. His profile aligns with Dortmund’s squad blend of high-tempo transitions and structured possession. With 171 cm of agility rather than aerial dominance, he relies on sharp movement and first touch to find space. At 18, he already has national-team exposure and durable league minutes, which lowers adaptation risk. The move also underlines Dortmund’s ongoing strategy to invest in young creators who can impact now and grow into bigger roles.

What Karetsas produced at Genk in 25/26

Karetsas played 34 league matches in the 25/26 Pro League season, producing 10 assists with 68 key passes. His Sofascore Rating in the league stood at 6.91, supported by 59 successful dribbles and 13 big chances created. He delivered 815 accurate passes at 82.16% accuracy, with 372 in the final third, which highlights consistent involvement in build-up. From wide and half-spaces he sent in 171 crosses, 33 of them accurate, a base that can feed Dortmund’s penalty-area targets. He registered 27 shots on target from 68 total attempts, though he did not score in league play despite 4.62 expected goals. That shot volume and underlying xG suggest he gets into the right areas and could see finishing regress toward average. Off the ball, he posted 30 tackles and 104 ball recoveries, showing willingness to press and track runners. Physically, he covered 275.01 kilometers, logged 485 sprints, and hit a top speed of 34.7 km/h. He also picked up three Team of the Week appearances, a marker of high-impact games across the campaign. In cup action he added a goal, rounding off a season that mixed creation, carry, and workload. For an 18-year-old, that is a strong production map in senior football.

International signals with Greece

Karetsas’ Greece form sketches a slightly different picture, with end product to match his chance creation. In World Cup Qualification, UEFA 2026, he made six appearances and scored two goals with one assist. He posted a Sofascore Rating of 7.17 across those outings and was selected in Team of the Week once. In just 314 minutes, he generated 10 key passes and two big chances created, hinting at quick impact per minute. His pass accuracy sat at 76.86% on 121 attempts, with 36 accurate passes in the final third for Greece. He put nine shots up, three on target, and converted both goals with his left foot from inside the box. The dribble return was 6 successful with a 30% success rate, modest but balanced by timely deliveries. Off the ball, he tallied five tackles and two interceptions, staying engaged in Greece’s out-of-possession phases. The sample is small, yet it shows he can translate his club tendencies to the international stage. If he brings that blend of directness and timing to Dortmund, those numbers should complement the club’s attacking profiles.

How he fits in Kovač’s Dortmund

Dortmund finished second in the Bundesliga last season with 70 goals scored and 34 conceded, built on 53.24% average possession. They created 78 big chances but missed 55 of them, a sign that more precise creation and finishing diversity could help. Karetsas’ 10 league assists, 68 key passes, and 13 big chances created point to exactly that kind of supply. His crossing volume and 33 accurate crosses fit a team that scored 15 headed goals and can attack the box with varied runs. Dortmund attempted 667 crosses last season at 25.94% accuracy, so his deliveries can slot into established patterns. In controlled phases, he should aid progression, given the team’s 84.30% pass accuracy and 7,506 accurate opposition-half passes. Transition is a natural lane too, with Dortmund recording 43 fast breaks and eight fast break goals; his 34.7 km/h top speed helps. As a left-footed AM or RW, he can combine with overlapping full-backs, invert to shoot, or slip runners through the channel. The club’s 15 clean sheets and balanced duel profile leave room for an extra creator without upsetting defensive shape. Friendly results across preseason have been mixed, but integration minutes now can smooth his Bundesliga start. On Sofascore, Dortmund’s team average Rating sat near 6.96 last season, and Karetsas’ numbers suggest he can push that up in the attacking unit.

What it means for Genk and the wider market

For Genk, the €30m fee represents a sizeable outbound move and validation of their player pathway. Karetsas stepped up from Jong KRC Genk U23 to the first team and delivered a full, high-usage Pro League season at 18. The sale gives Genk flexibility for reinvestment, whether that is in direct replacements or spreading the budget across the squad. It also spotlights the Belgian Pro League as a launchpad for creators who can handle minutes early. Market-wise, this tracks with top-tier clubs moving decisively for young chance-makers with quantifiable output. The blend of assists, key passes, and sprint metrics tick boxes in data-led recruitment rooms. For Dortmund, the fee sits within the range for a high-upside attacker who already affects senior matches. The upside scenario sees his international scoring habits meet his club-level chance creation to nudge both goals and assists upward. If his finishing meets his xG trendline, that would be a useful bonus for a team that missed many big chances. For Genk fans, seeing a homegrown creator move to a Bundesliga title contender is a clear stamp of quality. For neutral watchers on Sofascore, this is one to track week to week, from his first minutes at Signal Iduna Park. The move fits both clubs’ models and gives the Bundesliga another young technician to watch.

With league play around the corner, expect Karetsas to get time in both the right-sided role and the No. 10 pocket. His blend of craft, running power, and delivery looks built for Dortmund’s mix of possession and vertical play. If the chemistry comes quickly, the passes he threaded in Belgium could start turning into goals in Germany. Keep an eye on his Sofascore Rating trends and chance creation numbers as early indicators of how fast he settles.