In The Footsteps Of Haaland And Bellingham: Meet Borussia Dortmund's Next Wave of Superstars
Borussia Dortmund are set to open the 2026-27 Bundesliga season with new signings Giannis Konstantelias and Konstantinos Karetsas, both promising Greek attacking midfielders, as well as a few other high-potential players.
- Borussia Dortmund signed 18-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas from Genk for €30 million
- Giannis Konstantelias joined Dortmund from PAOK for €26 million after being named the best Greek player
- Joane Gadou, a 19-year-old centre-back, was signed from RB Salzburg for around €20 million plus bonuses
For many promising football talents, the road to absolute stardom often goes through the Bundesliga. If there is one club that has developed a reputation for giving the football world star players at a young age, it is Borussia Dortmund. Robert Lewandowski remains one of the finest players to have broken through at Borussia Dortmund, while Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham are the latest sensations who have made their names as two of the biggest stars in world football. As the 2026–27 Bundesliga season begins with a curtain-raiser match at Signal Iduna Park, featuring the Supercup between Bayern Munich and Dortmund, the next generation of talent is ready to be unleashed.
As the likes of Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi begin new adventures this season, Dortmund have signed some exciting players, especially in the form of two Greek attacking talents: Giannis Konstantelias and Konstantinos Karetsas.
Konstantinos Karetsas
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder was signed from KRC Genk for EUR 30 million. What makes the teenager's signing significant is that Dortmund did not sign an 18-year-old who was merely performing well at youth level. Karetsas had already made top-flight appearances before joining BVB.
In the Belgian Pro League last season with Genk, Karetsas played in 34 league matches, registering 11 assists. In the Europa League, he made 11 appearances, scoring twice and providing five assists. In a pre-season friendly against Arsenal, Karetsas scored a wonder goal, making a clear statement about his ambitions.
Recent history suggests Dortmund are getting a player who has already demonstrated his ability to perform, not just against quality teams in the Bundesliga, but also in Europe. His creativity is the obvious attraction. Bundesliga profile descriptions highlight him as one of the league's outstanding young providers, while BVB characterise him as a playmaker and dribbling artist.
Giannis Konstantelias
The 23-year-old attacking midfielder arrives from PAOK for EUR 26 million. Konstantelias is not a prospect in the same sense as Karetsas, but a complete player ready for the immediate level. At 23, Dortmund expect him to compete for a first-team place right away. His CV is considerably more developed.
Born in 2003, Konstantelias made his senior debut for PAOK in January 2021 at the age of 17 in the Greek Super League. On his way to becoming a regular starter, he spent the first half of 2022 on loan with Belgian first-division club KAS Eupen.
It was in the 2023–24 season that he really made a breakthrough, when PAOK, under head coach Razvan Lucescu, surprisingly won the Greek championship. Konstantelias played a major role in this success, contributing nine goals and six assists.
In 2024–25, he was even named the best Greek player in the Super League. Since then, he has also become an established figure on the Greek national team.
Konstantelias made 186 appearances for the first team of his boyhood club, scoring 41 goals. With PAOK, he won the Greek league title in 2024 and the Greek Cup in 2021.
Joane Gadou
Dortmund have also brought in defensive reinforcements. They signed Joane Gadou from RB Salzburg after he developed his skills alongside Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos at Paris Saint-Germain. Despite being just 19 years old, Gadou plays with remarkable maturity and discipline. Indications suggest he will play an important role in Dortmund's pursuit of domestic and European success this season.
The tall young centre-back joined from RB Salzburg for an approximate fee of €20 million plus bonuses. Gadou's development started at ES Nangissienne before he joined the Paris Saint-Germain academy in 2020. He spent four years at PSG and was part of the side that won the French U19 championship in 2024. Dortmund had been monitoring him since his PSG days, according to Managing Director for Sport Lars Ricken.
He moved to FC Salzburg in September 2024, aged 17. At Salzburg, he made the jump into senior football quickly, making 58 competitive appearances for Salzburg's first team prior to his move.
At 1.95 m, Gadou naturally gives Dortmund considerable size in central defence. Despite his height, Dortmund describe him as extremely quick, a key attribute for running a modern high defensive line. He has cited Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos as key influences he admired while growing up.
Borussia Dortmund