German club Borussia Dortmund have completed the official signing of 23-year-old Greek midfielder Giannis Konstantelias from PAOK Thessaloniki on a five-year contract running until 30 June 2031.
The transfer brings to an end a 12-year period for Konstantelias at the Greek club, where he progressed through every level of the youth academy before becoming a key figure in the senior squad at Toumba Stadium.
Borussia Dortmund confirmed that the player joins with immediate effect. Both clubs simultaneously released official statements on 17 August 2026 to announce that agreement had been reached for the permanent transfer of the international midfielder.
Lars Ricken, the managing director for sport at Borussia Dortmund, said the German club was particularly happy to secure an attacking player of Konstantelias' talent. Ricken added that Dortmund had been monitoring the player's development for a considerable time and noted that despite being only 23 years old, Konstantelias already possesses substantial top-level experience.
Ricken also expressed gratitude to the leadership of PAOK FC for what he described as consistently respectful and constructive discussions throughout the negotiation process.
In his first comments following the announcement, Konstantelias expressed his delight at joining Borussia Dortmund. He described Dortmund as a huge football club and stated that he would give everything to achieve success during his time in Germany.
Borussia Dortmund are one of the most prominent clubs in German football, competing in the top-flight Bundesliga. Based in Dortmund in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, the club regularly competes in European competition and plays its home matches at the 81,365-capacity Westfalenstadion.
Early career and emergence at PAOK
Konstantelias originally joined the youth academy at PAOK Thessaloniki in 2013 at ten years of age. He progressed through every age group in the academy system, setting record performances and winning youth titles before breaking into the senior squad.
He fulfilled a childhood ambition by making his first-team debut for PAOK in January 2021 during a Greek Super League match against OFI Crete. The debut marked his first official appearance wearing the club's black and white shirt.
During the second half of the 2021-22 season, Konstantelias gained experience abroad through a loan spell in Belgium with KAS Eupen. He made seven appearances for the Belgian club before returning to Thessaloniki to establish himself in PAOK's first team.
PAOK FC, based in Thessaloniki in northern Greece, is one of the country's most historic sports institutions. The club plays its home matches at Toumba Stadium, a venue located in the district of Toumba that has served as their home ground since opening in 1959.
Senior achievements and statistics
Over the past four seasons, Konstantelias established himself as a regular starter for the Greek side. In their official farewell statement, PAOK recorded that he made 190 senior appearances for the club, scoring 44 goals and providing 26 assists across all competitions. A separate club profile summary listed his record as 186 official appearances and 41 goals.
During his time in the senior squad, Konstantelias won two major domestic trophies with PAOK. He was part of the squad that won the Greek Cup in 2021 and played a central role as PAOK won the Greek Super League championship in the 2023-24 season. Following the 2022-23 campaign, he was named season Most Valuable Player by the PAOK supporters.
Konstantelias represented Greece across multiple youth international levels, earning caps for the under-16, under-19, and under-21 national teams. He made his senior international debut for the Greece men's national team in March 2023 and has since earned 18 caps while scoring four goals for his country.
Farewell messages from Thessaloniki
Following the completion of the transfer, PAOK released emotional tributes across their communication channels, referring to Konstantelias as their little wizard. In a statement posted on social media, the Greek club said it was inevitable that the time would arrive for him to spread his wings, fly higher, and pursue all of his professional dreams.
In an official statement published on their website, PAOK extended its best wishes to Konstantelias for his upcoming career in the German Bundesliga. The club stated that his performances in Greece had opened the path toward one of the world's top leagues and leading clubs.
PAOK accompanied their statement with a retrospective video highlighting his career in Thessaloniki. The club noted that while saying goodbye was difficult, moving to Dortmund represented a natural progression for a player of his caliber. The club concluded by stating that having developed through their academy system, Konstantelias would always remain a member of the PAOK family.
