Borussia Dortmund: Konstantelias officially signs until 2031
Giannis Konstantelias joins Borussia Dortmund. The details of the deal with PAOK, his career so far and his new partnership with Konstantinos Karetsas.
Giannis Konstantelias
is officially a
Borussia Dortmund
player, completing his departure from PAOK
and taking the first major step of his career outside Greece.
The agreement between PAOK and Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund
officially announced the signing of
Konstantelias
, confirming that the Greece international is moving to Germany immediately and has committed to the club until the summer of 2031
. The transfer was completed after the player travelled to Dortmund, underwent the necessary medical examinations and signed his new contract.According to the relevant reports, PAOK will receive
€26 million as a guaranteed fee
, while a further €6 million in performance-related bonuses
is also included. The total value of the deal could therefore reach €32 million
, while the agreement also includes a sell-on percentage.These figures make it
the most expensive sale
of a player in PAOK's history. Dortmund, for their part, had been monitoring Konstantelias' development for some time and chose to invest in a player who, despite his young age, already has significant experience in domestic and European competitions.
From PAOK's academy to becoming an established first-team player
Konstantelias joined PAOK's academy in
2013
, having taken his first footballing steps at Agia Paraskevi Volos
. He progressed through every level of the club's youth system and in January 2021
, at the age of 17
, made his first appearance for the senior team in a league match against OFI
.At the beginning of
2022
, he was loaned for six months to Belgium and Eupen
, his only experience away from PAOK to date. He then gradually established himself in the first team and developed into one of its most important players. The 2023-24
season was a landmark campaign, as he recorded nine goals and six assists
on the way to winning the Super League
.His development continued in the following years. In the
2024-25
season, he was named the best Greek player in the league, while last year he scored 14 goals in all competitions
. His ability to play behind the striker as well as from the left side, combined with his technical quality and creativity in tight spaces, are key elements of his playing identity.
The reactions of PAOK supporters
Konstantelias' departure was not received positively by a significant section of PAOK's supporters. As the transfer entered its final stages, fans gathered at Toumba to express their opposition to the sale of a player who had developed
into a symbol of the team
in recent years.The reactions peaked with a symbolic occupation of the club's offices and a request from organised supporters to speak with the PAOK president. The protests continued on Sunday evening, without, however, changing the course of the agreement with Dortmund.
For PAOK, the transfer combines an unprecedented financial benefit with the loss of a player who had become closely connected with the team and its supporters. For the
23-year-old
, the next stage will be the first real test
away from the environment in which he developed as a footballer, with Dortmund now offering him the opportunity to continue his development at the highest level.
Konstantelias and Karetsas together at Dortmund
Konstantelias' transfer carries additional Greek interest because of the presence of
Konstantinos Karetsas
. Dortmund signed the 18-year-old
attacking midfielder from Genk at the beginning of August and also tied him to a contract until 2031
, clearly showing their intention to invest in two of the most creative Greek footballers of the new generation.Karetsas has already started adapting to his new surroundings, having scored on his first appearance for Dortmund in a friendly against
Arsenal
and also featuring in the match against Roma
. Konstantelias now begins the same process, with the two Greeks called upon to compete for their roles at a clearly more demanding level.The two players already know each other from the
Greece national team
, with Dortmund themselves pointing out that they have played together in several matches. From a footballing perspective, both players, with their creativity in attack and their excellent technical ability, will give Borussia an element that has been badly missing in recent years against compact defences.Dortmund's transfer activity and new project have attracted plenty of attention. Will the Westphalian club manage to take the next step this season? At
Fonbet
, you can follow the action involving Konstantelias and Karetsas and find strong odds
and a wide variety of markets for every Bundesliga match
!
