De Bruyne 2.0?! The Bundesliga has a new magician | OneFootball

A perfect first touch, a quick glance up, then nudging the ball past the onrushing opponent with his left foot to create enough space after two quick steps to put his teammates perfectly in the spotlight.

Last season, Konstantinos Karetsas dazzled the entire Belgian league for KRC Genk with his signature move. Will he be able to do the same to the Bundesliga in just a few weeks and emerge as the new Kevin De Bruyne in the process?

Comparing an 18-year-old to arguably the greatest assist provider in Premier League history may seem presumptuous at first glance. But only at first glance. Because Borussia Dortmund are certainly not paying €32 million for the teenager for no reason, according to 'Sky' and 'Ruhr Nachrichten', and he is even said to have already completed his medical at BVB. According to ‘Ruhr Nachrichten’, the contract has already been signed, and the official announcement should not be long in coming. 

Karetsas registered 18 assists for Genk across all competitions last season. In the Jupiler Pro League alone, he set up 13 goals, ranking second in the entire league. Not even Kevin De Bruyne managed that, recording “only” 17 assists across all competitions in the 2010/11 season as a 19-year-old. Like Karetsas, De Bruyne was also playing for Genk at the time before making his move to the Bundesliga.

When the Belgian superstar then moved to Werder Bremen in 2012, he immediately became a regular starter and took on responsibility in the Green-Whites’ midfield. BVB are expecting something similar from Karetsas.

“He is a highly talented young player, and we are not thinking of him as just one for the future—yes, that too, but not only that. With his quality, he can make an immediate sporting impact,” BVB boss Lars Ricken emphasized to 'Ruhr Nachrichten'.

The quality in question is reflected in the No. 10, much like De Bruyne, primarily through his tremendous vision, high football IQ, passing accuracy, and powerful shooting technique. However, the two are not completely identical.

Unlike the sturdy and physically strong De Bruyne, Karetsas has an extremely low center of gravity. At just 1.71 meters, he is significantly more agile and explosive over the first few yards. According to his former coach Thorsten Fink, that could be exactly where the problem lies.

📸 JOHAN EYCKENS

“He still needs to add a bit physically, because in Dortmund you also have to be able to fight. I’m curious to see how he establishes himself in the Bundesliga,” Fink explained in an interview with 'kicker' when asked about his former player.

But almost in the same breath, he also stressed what is coming to the Bundesliga: “He has the qualities to become a top star.” Greek fans will surely see it much the same way.

Karetsas, who was born in Belgium, decided in 2025 to represent his parents’ homeland. On March 20, 2025, he became the youngest Greek international of all time in the first leg of the Nations League playoffs against Scotland.

In the return leg, Karetsas then curled the Galanolefki further ahead in style and replaced Lamine Yamal as the youngest scorer in Nations League history. Impressive.

So the Bundesliga really does seem to be about to welcome a damn talented ball wizard. How effectively and for how long he enchants it, only the future will tell.

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

📸 JILL DELSAUX - Belgaimage