Chelsea are falling behind in the battle to sign one of European football’s brightest young prospects, with Borussia Dortmund emerging as the leading contenders for highly-rated Genk attacking midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas.
Borussia Dortmund have now moved ahead of several Premier League clubs in the race, and are believed to be in pole position to secure his signature. The Bundesliga giants are scouring the market for a top-class playmaker after seeing Julian Brandt leave as a free agent this summer.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have admired Karetsas for some time, closely monitoring his development in Belgium, where he has established himself as one of the continent’s most exciting young playmakers. However, the Blues’ hopes of winning the race have suffered a setback as Dortmund step up negotiations with both the player’s representatives and KRC Genk, as per TEAMtalk.
Borussia Dortmund are preparing for significant changes in their attacking department following the expected departures of Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt. The Bundesliga club have identified Karetsas as one of their priority targets to strengthen the squad, believing he has the talent to develop into a world-class player.
Talks between Dortmund and the player’s camp are understood to be progressing positively. Genk’s €35 million valuation, which is well above Dortmund’s initial €26 million offer, remains the central hurdle, though there is growing confidence that a compromise can eventually be reached.
Can Chelsea win the race to sign Karetsas?
Chelsea continue to keep tabs on the situation but are no longer considered a favourite. Reports suggest Karetsas rejected Chelsea’s preferred pathway, an initial loan to Strasbourg before joining Stamford Bridge. That has considerably weakened the West London club’s position, allowing Dortmund to move ahead in the race.
The Blues are not the only Premier League side monitoring the teenager. Liverpool, Everton, Leeds United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and clubs connected to the City Football Group are all believed to have received updates on his situation, while AC Milan and Atalanta are also keeping a close watch on developments.
Despite the widespread interest, Karetsas reportedly sees Dortmund as the ideal destination to develop. Dortmund’s track record of nurturing young talent and offering regular first-team football has convinced Karetsas the Bundesliga is the ideal launchpad for his peak years.
With Dortmund pushing hard to finalise a deal and Genk standing firm over their €35 million asking price, the German side appears to have taken a decisive lead in the race for Karetsas, leaving Chelsea with ground to make up before the transfer window closes.
