Konstantelias arrives in Dortmund to finalise close to €30 million transfer from PAOK
PAOK attacking midfielder Giannis Konstantelias landed in Dortmund on 16 August to finalise a transfer worth close to €30 million, though German Sky Sports reports no definitive agreement between the clubs yet.
Transfer enters final phase
Giannis Konstantelias, the 23-year-old PAOK attacking midfielder, landed in Dortmund on Sunday morning (16 August) by private flight from Thessaloniki. The flight was scheduled for 7:00 but departed around 9:00, roughly two hours late, carrying Konstantelias and two members of his entourage. He touched down at Dortmund airport shortly after 12:00 Greek time. German journalist Christian Gupp published video of the arrival on social media.
The deal structure, as reported by multiple Greek outlets, consists of a €28 million base fee plus €2 million in performance-related bonuses, bringing the total close to €30 million. Dortmund had initially offered €26 million before raising the bid over the preceding 48 hours. PAOK will retain a 17.5% sell-on clause, entitling the Thessaloniki club to a share of any future transfer fee. Konstantelias is expected to sign a multi-year contract worth more than €3 million per season.
- Base transfer fee
- 28 M EUR
- Performance bonuses
- 2 M EUR
- Annual salary
- 3 M EUR
No final agreement yet
Despite the player's arrival in Germany, German Sky Sports reported that no definitive agreement has been reached between the two clubs. Bild and Kicker had covered the approaching deal over the previous 48 hours. Dortmund turned to Konstantelias after their pursuit of another target, El Mala, fell through, viewing the Greek international as the alternative. A similar move to Stuttgart had not materialised last summer, but this time Konstantelias was positive about the step and PAOK appeared unable to halt the process.
- PAOK fan groups release statement opposing imminent sale of Konstantelias
- Private flight scheduled to depart Thessaloniki for Dortmund
- Flight departs Thessaloniki, roughly two hours behind schedule, with Konstantelias and two members of his entourage
- Konstantelias lands at Dortmund airport (Greek time)
- Medical and ergometric tests, followed by contract signing
A Greek contingent in Dortmund
Konstantelias will join Konstantinos Karetsas at the Westphalian club. Karetsas recently moved from Genk to Dortmund and has impressed in pre-season friendlies, drawing attention from supporters. Dortmund are now building around two Greek talents as they prepare for the new Bundesliga season. For Konstantelias, the transfer caps a PAOK career spanning 190 appearances, 44 goals, and 26 assists across all competitions, during which he won one Greek league title and one Greek Cup.
Fan backlash in Thessaloniki
The timing of the sale has angered organised PAOK supporters. On Saturday evening (15 August), a section of fan groups released a statement opposing the imminent transfer. On Sunday, fans gathered at the Toumba stadium seeking communication with owner Ivan Savvidis to express their displeasure. The frustration stems from a combination of factors: PAOK's European elimination by Anderlecht, the upcoming Conference League match against Brann, and the summer departure of manager Razvan Lucescu. Losing their best player in mid-August compounds what supporters view as a difficult period.
At the airport, Konstantelias was filmed on a video call telling someone in Greece about his feelings for the club.
I love PAOK, I love you too.
The identity of the person on the other end of the call was not disclosed. PAOK's official administration had not issued a response as of Sunday morning.
