Borussia Dortmund Targets Giovanni Baroni from South America
Borussia Dortmund’s recruitment drive in South America shows no sign of slowing. After tying down Justin Lerma and Kauã Prates, the club are now circling another teenager from the continent’s production line: Giovanni Baroni.
The 17-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder, currently emerging as one of the brightest prospects in his age group, has drawn interest from Dortmund, Chelsea and Fiorentina, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. Baroni carries an Italian passport, a detail that immediately smooths any future move to Europe and makes him even more attractive to clubs planning long-term.
His reported release clause stands at €25m, a hefty figure for a player yet to make his name on the European stage. Di Marzio reports that the clause could be negotiated down to around €15m plus bonuses – still a serious outlay, but very much in line with the modern market for elite teenage talent.
Dortmund have already shown this summer that they are willing to pay for potential. Lerma, signed from Independiente for around €4m, and Prates, brought in from Cruzeiro for roughly €7m, were both secured earlier but only completed their moves after turning 18. They arrive as part of a clear, deliberate shift: stack the squad with high-ceiling youngsters before their prices explode.
That strategy is visible in defence as well. The appointment of Ole Book as sporting director has coincided with the €19.5m signing of Joane Gadou from RB Salzburg, another investment in a player expected to grow into a major asset rather than an instant headline name.
Inside the club, there is confidence that the pathway is already being built. Samuele Inácio and Luca Reggiani forced their way into prominence in the closing stages of last season, underlining that Dortmund remain one of the few European giants genuinely willing to trust teenagers with real minutes when the pressure is on.
Baroni would fit that template perfectly: technically gifted, tactically flexible, and young enough to be moulded. With Chelsea and Fiorentina also in the race, Dortmund will have to lean on their track record of turning raw prospects into stars.
The question now is simple: in a market where everyone is chasing the next big thing, can BVB’s South American gamble keep them one step ahead?
