Dortmund Pursue Giovanni Baroni: South American Talent

Borussia Dortmund are deepening their South American bet – and this time the spotlight falls on Argentina.

After tying up deals for Justin Lerma (18) from Independiente and Kauã Prates (18) from Cruzeiro, Dortmund are now tracking another teenager from the continent’s talent conveyor belt: Giovanni Baroni.

Dortmund join race for Baroni

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, BVB have entered the race for the 17-year-old attacking midfielder, joining Chelsea and Fiorentina in their pursuit. Baroni, an Argentine by birth, also holds an Italian passport – a key detail that would smooth any move to Europe in terms of registration and adaptation.

He reportedly has a €25m release clause, a hefty figure for a player yet to turn 18. Di Marzio reports that the fee could drop to around €15m plus bonuses, a structure that would fit neatly into Dortmund’s familiar model: pay for potential, then polish it.

This is the market Dortmund know how to navigate. Identify early. Move before the rest. Back their development system.

A window built on tomorrow

Baroni would be the latest piece in a window that already screams long-term planning.

Deals for Lerma (€4m) and Prates (€7m) were agreed earlier but only became active once both players turned 18, underlining how early Dortmund were prepared to move. Both are seen as high-upside prospects, signed not for immediate headlines but for what they might become in two or three years.

The club’s new sporting director, Ole Book, has wasted no time stamping his mark. One of his first major moves was the signing of Joane Gadou from RB Salzburg for €19.5m – a sizeable investment in a defender who fits the club’s profile of athleticism, versatility, and resale value.

On the pitch, the pathway is already being tested. Samuele Inácio and Luca Reggiani featured prominently in the latter stages of the season, proof that Dortmund’s hierarchy are not just stockpiling youngsters but trusting them with meaningful minutes when the pressure rises.

The pattern is clear. Dortmund are building a new core, brick by brick, from teenagers with high ceilings and passports that ease the bureaucratic maze of European football.

If Baroni is next through the door, he won’t just be another name on a long list of prospects. He’ll be another statement that Dortmund intend to stay ahead of the curve – and ahead of the competition – in the one market they still trust more than any scouting algorithm: raw, hungry South American talent.