Dortmund agree price for Boca Junior teen defender Balerdi – report

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund are set to sign Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi in the current transfer window after reportedly agreeing a fee of 16 million euros ($18.45m).

Germany’s top-selling daily Bild reports that Dortmund’s chief scout and a lawyer are in Argentina to finalise details with the 19-year-old Boca Juniors defender, who will be offered a contract until June 2023.

The clubs have agreed a transfer fee and the centre-back is expected to arrive in Dortmund at the end of next week for a medical.  

Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has said the German league leaders want to strengthen their defence to cover for Swiss centre back Manuel Akanji, who is sidelined long-term by injury, with the current transfer window to close in Germany at 1700 GMT on January 31.

Dortmund’s scouting department is currently busy as they look to invest the £58 million ($74m) made from selling US international Christian Pulisic — regarded as one of the hottest properties in European football — to Chelsea at the start of January.

Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Belgium winger Thorgan Hazard, 25, is also believed to be a target as he has yet to sign a contract extension to his current Gladbach deal which expires in 2020 and would reportedly cost Dortmund 42 million euros.

The Bundesliga resumes the weekend after next with Dortmund, who hold a six-point lead in the table, travelling to fourth-placed RB Leipzig on January 19.