Giannis Konstantelias is set to take the biggest step of his career with a move to Borussia Dortmund, where he will join fellow Greek international Konstantinos Karetsas in one of the clearest signs yet of a new generation of Greek football talent reaching Europe’s biggest clubs.
Multiple German and international reports said on Sunday that Borussia Dortmund had moved quickly to complete a deal for the 23-year-old PAOK attacking midfielder, with a reported transfer package that could exceed €30 million (about $34.7 million). The move had not yet been formally announced by Dortmund at the time of publication.
If completed, Konstantelias would arrive at the Bundesliga club just two weeks after Dortmund officially signed eighteen-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas from Belgian side Genk.
Dortmund announced Karetsas’ arrival on August 3, handing the Greek international a five-year contract through June 2031. The club described the teenage playmaker as a highly talented and creative player with the technical ability and game intelligence to make an impact in the final third. The prospect of having Konstantelias and Karetsas on the same squad would give Borussia Dortmund two of the most exciting attacking talents currently available to Greece.
Giannis Konstantelias: From PAOK to one of Europe’s biggest stages on the Borussia Dortmund team
Konstantelias has been one of the standout players of his generation in Greek football, developing at PAOK into a key player for the Thessaloniki club and earning a place in the Greek national team.
The reported Dortmund deal represents a major moment both for the player and for PAOK. German reports put the guaranteed transfer fee at roughly €25 million ($28.9 million) to €27 million ($31.2 million), with bonuses potentially pushing the overall package above €30 million. If the figures are confirmed, the transfer would rank among the most significant sales in PAOK’s history.
Greek talent finds way to Europe’s biggest clubs
The Dortmund developments also come as another prominent young Greek forward, Stefanos Tzimas, began the next stage of his own career at Arsenal. Together, the moves offer a snapshot of an increasingly interesting moment for Greek football.
Konstantelias has developed through PAOK. Karetsas emerged at Genk before choosing to represent Greece internationally. Tzimas has taken his own route toward the Premier League. Their paths are different, but the destination is increasingly similar: some of the most prominent clubs in European football.
It would be premature to describe the group as a new “golden generation.” Greece’s recent history offers enough examples of highly promising players whose careers took unexpected turns to warrant caution. However, the simultaneous presence of young Greek talent at clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal is nevertheless significant.
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