Borussia Dortmund are being linked with a move for Marseille attacking midfielder Darryl Bakola, with the Bundesliga club reportedly tracking the teenager’s rapid rise in Ligue 1.
The 18-year-old, valued at €4.00m on Transfermarkt, is the subject of growing speculation over a possible switch from Marseille to Dortmund, although no fee or agreement has been reported and the probability of the deal remains unclear (“?” on the rumour listing). With no contract expiry date publicly available, there is also external speculation that Bakola could become a free agent in future if fresh terms are not secured at the Stade Vélodrome.
Bakola, who wears the No 50 shirt for Marseille, was promoted from the club’s under-19 side to the senior squad in September 2024, continuing a swift progression through the French system. He previously featured for Marseille’s U17s after spells in the academies of Red Star and Racing Club de France, all within the French football pyramid.
Born in Clichy on 30 November 2007, the right-footed midfielder holds both French and Congolese nationality and is viewed as a creative option in the No 10 role. His market value has risen sharply over 2025, climbing from €200,000 in March to its current €4.00m in mid-December, underlining the pace of his development at Olympique Marseille.
Bakola has been listed with the senior Olympique Marseille set-up in Ligue 1 but detailed match statistics and individual performances are not provided in the available data, meaning it is unclear how extensive his first-team involvement has been to date.
Dortmund have a recent history of targeting emerging attacking talents, and any move to Germany would represent the first transfer abroad in Bakola’s career. Should this rumoured switch materialise, it could mark a pivotal step in his development and shape how his potential is realised at the top level of European football.
