Battle for Konstantinos Karetsas: Milan vs Dortmund
Ruben Amorim has picked up the phone. Borussia Dortmund have picked up the pace.
The race for Konstantinos Karetsas, KRC Genk’s 18-year-old playmaker, has turned into a straight duel between Milan and Dortmund, with the German club currently driving harder at the deal while the Italians lean on persuasion and patience.
Karetsas, already a full Greece international and one of Genk’s most prized assets, carries a price tag in the region of €40m. That figure has not scared anyone off. It has simply drawn a line between those who talk and those who bid.
Dortmund at the table
Dortmund have moved first and loudest. The Bundesliga side have already held several meetings with Genk, pushing to find common ground on the fee. According to Belgian outlet HLN, more talks are scheduled for today, underlining how intent they are on closing this quickly.
Their opening proposal – €30m plus €5m in add-ons – went back across the table with a firm “no.” Genk are holding out for something closer to €40m including bonuses, and they know they can, because interest is not in short supply.
Dortmund, though, remain the most aggressive. They are in negotiation mode, numbers on the page, structure on the table, trying to drag the deal towards the finish line before anyone else can reorganise their finances.
Milan play the long game
Milan are approaching the same target from a different angle.
Rather than leading with a bid, they have led with a conversation. The same Belgian reports insist that Amorim personally called Karetsas to lay out his vision for the youngster: where he would play, how he would be used, what kind of role he could grow into at San Siro.
No contract signed, no agreement reached – but a seed planted.
The Rossoneri’s problem is not desire, it is timing. Milan need to make a sale before they can “go all in” financially on Karetsas, so Amorim’s call carried a clear subtext: wait. Hold off. Give us time to move a piece before you choose your next club.
For an 18-year-old, that kind of direct attention from a head coach matters. So does a clear pathway into a major European side. Milan are betting that the promise of a central role in Amorim’s project can compete with Dortmund’s early financial muscle.
Who blinks first?
On one side, a club already in advanced talks with Genk, pushing the numbers up towards that €40m mark. On the other, a coach trying to win the player’s mind before his club commits the money.
Dortmund can keep adding to their offer. Milan can keep building their case to the player. Genk, for now, can wait and watch the price edge towards what they want.
The question is simple: does Karetsas follow the club that moves fastest, or the project that speaks loudest to his future?
