An ideal first contact, a fast look up, then nudging the ball previous the onrushing opponent together with his left foot to create sufficient area after two fast steps to place his teammates completely within the highlight.
Final season, Konstantinos Karetsas dazzled the complete Belgian league for KRC Genk together with his signature transfer. Will he have the ability to do the identical to the Bundesliga in only a few weeks and emerge as the brand new Kevin De Bruyne within the course of?
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Evaluating an 18-year-old to arguably the best help supplier in Premier League historical past could appear presumptuous at first look. However solely at first look. As a result of Borussia Dortmund are definitely not paying €32 million for {the teenager} for no motive, in line with ‘Sky’ and ‘Ruhr Nachrichten’, and he’s even stated to have already accomplished his medical at BVB. In line with ‘Ruhr Nachrichten’, the contract has already been signed, and the official announcement shouldn’t be lengthy in coming.
Karetsas registered 18 assists for Genk throughout all competitions final season. Within the Jupiler Professional League alone, he arrange 13 targets, rating second in the complete league. Not even Kevin De Bruyne managed that, recording “solely” 17 assists throughout all competitions within the 2010/11 season as a 19-year-old. Like Karetsas, De Bruyne was additionally taking part in for Genk on the time earlier than making his transfer to the Bundesliga.
When the Belgian famous person then moved to Werder Bremen in 2012, he instantly grew to become a daily starter and took on duty within the Inexperienced-Whites’ midfield. BVB predict one thing comparable from Karetsas.
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“He’s a extremely gifted younger participant, and we’re not considering of him as only one for the long run—sure, that too, however not solely that. Along with his high quality, he could make a direct sporting influence,” BVB boss Lars Ricken emphasised to ‘Ruhr Nachrichten’.
The standard in query is mirrored within the No. 10, very similar to De Bruyne, primarily by means of his large imaginative and prescient, excessive soccer IQ, passing accuracy, and highly effective taking pictures method. Nevertheless, the 2 aren’t utterly similar.
In contrast to the sturdy and bodily robust De Bruyne, Karetsas has an especially low middle of gravity. At simply 1.71 meters, he’s considerably extra agile and explosive over the primary few yards. In line with his former coach Thorsten Fink, that may very well be precisely the place the issue lies.
📸 JOHAN EYCKENS
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“He nonetheless wants so as to add a bit bodily, as a result of in Dortmund you even have to have the ability to battle. I am curious to see how he establishes himself within the Bundesliga,” Fink defined in an interview with ‘kicker’ when requested about his former participant.
However virtually in the identical breath, he additionally confused what’s coming to the Bundesliga: “He has the qualities to turn out to be a high star.” Greek followers will certainly see it a lot the identical manner.
Karetsas, who was born in Belgium, determined in 2025 to symbolize his mother and father’ homeland. On March 20, 2025, he grew to become the youngest Greek worldwide of all time within the first leg of the Nations League playoffs towards Scotland.
Within the return leg, Karetsas then curled the Galanolefki additional forward in model and changed Lamine Yamal because the youngest scorer in Nations League historical past. Spectacular.
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So the Bundesliga actually does appear to be about to welcome a rattling gifted ball wizard. How successfully and for the way lengthy he enchants it, solely the long run will inform.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence. You may learn the unique model in 🇩🇪 right here.
