Joane Gadou: PSG rue £10m sale as teenage defender leads Dortmund defence

Paris St-Germain are facing renewed frustration over the decision to sell Joane Gadou, with the 19-year-old now established as a key player for Borussia Dortmund.

The French defender, who is of Ivorian origin, left PSG in the summer of 2024 for 10 million euros. Two years on, his rapid development has turned that decision into a source of regret for the French champions.

Gadou has become one of Dortmund’s most important defenders and now fits the profile PSG have been seeking. The Parisian club tried to strengthen at centre-back this summer and wanted to provide Luis Enrique with more options alongside Marquinhos and Willian Pacho.

However, PSG were unable to secure the addition they had targeted and instead had to rely on Lucas Hernandez, Illya Zabarnyi and Lucas Beraldo to complete their defensive options.

From PSG prospect to Dortmund regular

According to Bild, PSG’s disappointment is heightened by the fact that they already had a defender with the qualities they now require.

Gadou decided to leave Paris in 2024 because competition from Marquinhos and Pacho appeared likely to limit his opportunities for regular first-team football. The youngster wanted to experience the highest level as soon as possible and believed his development would be better served by moving on.

That judgement has been justified. After an impressive first season with RB Leipzig, Gadou attracted the attention of Borussia Dortmund, who paid close to 20 million euros to sign him.

The transfer represented a rapid increase in his value. PSG had sold Gadou for 10 million euros, while Leipzig were able to secure almost twice that amount from Dortmund just one year later.

Dortmund appear to have no regrets about the investment. Gadou has established himself as an automatic starter in the club’s defence and has started every Bundesliga match since the beginning of the season.

His progress has also earned him a place among the nominees for the Golden Boy award, underlining the speed of his rise.

A player PSG now need

Gadou’s emergence has come at an awkward time for PSG. The club are looking for a centre-back capable of challenging Marquinhos and Pacho, precisely the role the former academy player could have filled had he remained in Paris.

His departure therefore cost PSG more than a promising graduate from their youth system. They also lost a defender who might now have addressed a clear need within Luis Enrique’s squad.

Two years after leaving the capital, Gadou is leading Dortmund’s defence. His continued progress is likely to make PSG’s decision to sell him for 10 million euros increasingly difficult to ignore.

Borussia Dortmund will soon play their fifth Bundesliga match of the season against Werder.