Will BVB sign Karetsas? Ricken speaks out | OneFootball

Following the persistent rumors surrounding Konstantinos Karetsas, Lars Ricken has spoken publicly about the matter for the first time. The BVB boss also reveals how many more top signings Borussia Dortmund is planning.

Borussia Dortmund is continuing to work on strengthening the squad for the new season. One of the hottest candidates at the moment is Konstantinos Karetsas of KRC Genk. BVB sporting director Lars Ricken did not want to comment specifically on the ongoing speculation, but made it clear that the club still has big plans in the transfer market.

Asked about the 18-year-old Greek, Ricken deliberately kept his cards close to his chest. “He is a young player who is at another club and who, I believe, still has a long-term contract, and accordingly I will not, or we will not, comment on players from other clubs. I don’t think that would be appropriate either,” the 50-year-old explained in a media round.

According to consistent reports, Karetsas is nevertheless considered Dortmund’s preferred target. The attacking midfielder could take over Julian Brandt’s role in the long term, with Brandt’s contract not having been extended. Dortmund is also said to have already reached a basic agreement with the player’s camp. The family of the Greek international is also reportedly in favor of a move to Dortmund.

BVB continues to work on transfer of Konstantinos Karetsas

There has reportedly also been progress recently in negotiations with Genk, after the Belgian club initially demanded around €35 million. Regardless of individual names, Ricken made it clear that Borussia Dortmund is far from done in the transfer market. “We still want to make one, two, maybe three really good signings,” he announced.

Photo: IMAGO

At the same time, the BVB boss stressed that quality comes before speed: “But we want to make the right signings, not just any signings that get us applause in the short term, and then suddenly in November we have the problem of asking ourselves: were those really the right signings?”

Dortmund could also soon receive additional financial leeway. Karim Adeyemi is on the verge of a move to FC Barcelona. While the transfer has not yet been officially confirmed, BVB is expected to receive around €30 million including possible bonus payments. Adeyemi has already been released for talks with the Catalans. Part of that income could now be invested in signing Karetsas or other preferred targets.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.