Despite the big signing of Konstantinos Karetsas, Borussia Dortmund has yet to assign the prestigious number 10. The main candidate is Said El Mala, but negotiations with Köln have stalled due to the high transfer fee.
Borussia Dortmund currently has no player in their squad wearing the prestigious number 10 jersey. That spot has been vacant since Julian Brandt's departure, and although the club has brought in a high-profile signing this summer, the situation with the legendary number remains unresolved.
Borussia's big new signing is 18-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas, for whom they paid a hefty €30 million fee to KRC Genk. The young playmaker, dubbed by some as the "Greek Lionel Messi," would be a logical choice for the number 10. However, according to Bild, Karetsas has shown no interest in that number.
His preferred number is reportedly 20, which he wore at Genk, but that number is currently taken in Dortmund, it belongs to Marcel Sabitzer. Although Sabitzer has been linked with a move away this summer, Karetsas has opted for the number 19, the same one he wears for the Greek national team. That number is remembered at BVB for Kevin Großkreutz, and Brandt also wore it before switching to the 10.
The main candidate to fill the vacant spot remains 19-year-old Said El Mala, a player from 1. FC Köln. Interestingly, El Mala was on the verge of joining Dortmund two years ago. At that time, they tempted him with the number 10 jersey, but the transfer fell through because BVB couldn't agree on a fee with his then-club, Viktoria Köln. Instead, El Mala ended up at their city rivals, 1. FC Köln.
El Mala now wants to move to Dortmund, but negotiations have stalled. According to unofficial information reported by Bild, Köln is asking for around €50 million for their player, while Borussia's latest offer remains well below that figure. CEO Lars Ricken and sporting director Ole Book are reportedly not deliberately keeping the number 10 free, especially since El Mala wears the number 13 at Köln.
There is also occasional speculation at the club about the return of Jadon Sancho, who is currently without a club. Although nothing points in that direction for now, if the signing of El Mala falls through, that option could become relevant again. Sancho wore the number 10 during his loan spell at Borussia in the spring of 2024. At his last two clubs, Chelsea and Aston Villa, he wore the number 19, which is now taken in Dortmund by Karetsas.
It's worth remembering that throughout Borussia Dortmund's history, the iconic number 10 has been worn by some of the club's greatest names: Mario Götze, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Tomas Rosicky, Andreas Möller, as well as current CEO Lars Ricken and supervisory board member Michael Zorc. We must not forget the heroes of the 1960s, Lothar Emmerich, Siegfried Held, and Timo Konietzka.
