BSP-14 Dortmund agree price for Boca Junior teen defender Balerdi – report

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Dortmund agree price for Boca Junior teen defender Balerdi – report

BERLIN, Jan 11, 2019 (BSS/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 œ58 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.

BSS/AFP/BZC/1945HRS