Genk's Kos Karetsas Set for Record Move to Dortmund

Genk are set to cash in on their latest academy jewel, with 18-year-old Kos Karetsas closing in on a move to Borussia Dortmund in what will be a record sale for the Belgian club.

Belgian outlet HLN, through journalist Bob Faesen, reports that Genk and Dortmund have reached an agreement for the Greek attacking midfielder, with only the final details and formalities standing between him and a long-term contract in the Bundesliga. The exact transfer fee remains under wraps, but it will surpass any previous outgoing deal in Genk’s history. The club had been holding out for a figure in the region of €35 million.

For Genk, this is a familiar story with a different scale. Another teenager, another academy graduate, another major European club knocking at the door. From Kevin De Bruyne to Thibaut Courtois, Genk have long been a production line; Karetsas is simply the latest to step off the belt and onto a bigger stage.

What stands out is how quickly he has forced that step.

Karetsas made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old in the 2023/2024 season, a bold introduction that hinted at how highly the club rated him. The following campaign, he became a regular, featuring in 39 matches, scoring three goals and providing three assists. Those numbers were solid, not spectacular, but they belonged to a teenager still learning his craft in a senior environment.

The real leap came in the 2025/2026 season. While Genk laboured and struggled collectively, Karetsas surged. He played 49 games in all competitions, again scoring three times but, crucially, laying on 14 assists. In a side short on consistency, the 18-year-old became a reliable creative outlet, repeatedly supplying the final pass when others faltered.

That blend of productivity and potential is exactly what has drawn Dortmund in.

The German club’s track record with young talent needs no introduction. Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham: Dortmund do not just sign prospects, they turn them into stars. Karetsas has been fully aware of that reputation and, despite interest from elsewhere, identified Dortmund as his preferred destination. For him, this is not just a transfer; it is a development plan.

He is expected to sign a five-year contract, a clear signal from both player and club that this is a long-term project rather than a quick flip. For Dortmund, it is another calculated gamble on a teenager with high upside. For Genk, it is vindication of a system that keeps producing elite-level talent, even when the league table does not flatter them.

Karetsas follows in the footsteps of Bilal El Khannous and a growing list of academy graduates who have gone straight from Genk’s youth ranks into the first team as teenagers. The difference now is the scale of the reward. A record sale, an 18-year-old already hardened by nearly 90 senior appearances, and a move into one of Europe’s most demanding environments.

Genk lose their latest creator. Dortmund gain another project with serious ceiling. The next question is simple: how quickly will Kos Karetsas turn potential into Bundesliga impact?