Dortmund Pursue Giovanni Baroni in Youth Revolution
Borussia Dortmund’s youth revolution is gathering pace – and their gaze is fixed firmly on South America again.
Having already secured Justin Lerma (18) from Independiente and Kauã Prates (18) from Cruzeiro, Dortmund are now weighing up a move for another teenager from the continent’s production line of attacking talent: Giovanni Baroni.
Dortmund enter race for Baroni
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, BVB have joined Chelsea and Fiorentina in the chase for the 17-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder, whose rise has not gone unnoticed across Europe.
Baroni carries an Italian passport, a crucial detail that would ease any move to the Bundesliga or Serie A. His current deal reportedly includes a €25m release clause, but Di Marzio reports that a transfer could be negotiated for around €15m plus bonuses – a very different conversation for clubs looking to invest early in a potential star rather than pay superstar prices later.
Chelsea’s interest underlines the scale of the competition. Fiorentina’s presence adds a traditional Italian pathway into the mix. Dortmund’s pitch is different: a proven track record of turning gifted teenagers into Champions League regulars.
A window built on tomorrow
This would be no isolated punt. Dortmund’s summer already carries a clear theme: invest heavily in the next wave.
Deals for Lerma (€4m) and Prates (€7m) were wrapped up earlier, but both could only officially join once they turned 18. The paperwork is done, the bets placed. Now comes the development work.
The club have also moved decisively in defence. With Ole Book installed as sporting director, BVB struck a €19.5m agreement for RB Salzburg defender Joane Gadou, another signing that speaks to long-term planning rather than short-term panic.
Inside the squad, the trend is just as clear. Samuele Inácio and Luca Reggiani forced their way into prominence in the latter stages of the season, offering tangible proof that Dortmund are willing to trust youth when it delivers.
Put together, it looks less like a series of opportunistic deals and more like a deliberate reset of the club’s core.
The next piece of the puzzle?
Baroni, if Dortmund push ahead, would fit neatly into that strategy: a creative, technically sharp attacking midfielder, young enough to mould, bold enough to back.
The competition is fierce, the fee substantial for a 17-year-old, and the margin for error slim. But this is the market Dortmund have chosen to live in – where the right teenager can define a decade.
If they win this race as well, the message to Europe’s elite will be unmistakable: BVB are not just rebuilding; they are rearming for the future, one teenager at a time.
