Karetsas Transfer Battle: Milan vs Dortmund for €40m Playmaker

Ruben Amorim has picked up the phone. Borussia Dortmund have gone straight to the negotiating table. Between them stands Konstantinos Karetsas – 18 years old, already valued at €40m, and suddenly one of the most contested young playmakers in Europe.

The KRC Genk midfielder, a Greece international and long on Milan’s radar, has become the subject of a clear split in transfer strategy.

On one side, Dortmund are driving hard at the deal. Belgian outlet HLN report that the Bundesliga club have already held several meetings with Genk and are back for more talks today. Their opening proposal – €30m plus €5m in add-ons – went in early and came back with a firm answer: not enough.

Genk’s stance is simple. The total package has to reach around €40m, bonuses included. Dortmund know the price and, crucially, are already in the room trying to find a way to get there.

Milan are playing a different game.

According to the same Belgian source, Amorim personally called Karetsas to outline his vision for the teenager’s role in his project. No intermediaries, no generic pitch: a direct conversation from coach to player. The message is clear – Milan want him, they see a defined place for him, but they need time.

The Rossoneri are currently constrained by the need to sell before they can “go all in” on the transfer. Amorim’s hope is that the call buys that time, persuading Karetsas to resist Dortmund’s concrete advances and wait for Milan to create the financial space required.

So the race splits along familiar lines. Dortmund, with their track record of accelerating deals for elite prospects, are pushing to close at the right price. Milan, with a new coach eager to shape the squad in his image, are leaning on sporting project and personal trust.

For an 18-year-old who was gliding across the pitch for Genk in the UEFA Europa League at Stadion Galgenwaard back in January, it is a decision that could define the next decade of his career.

Does he follow the well-trodden Dortmund path of youth, development and resale, or gamble on Amorim’s promise and wait for Milan to find the funds?