Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on Wednesday that Dortmund have agreed personal terms with the 19-year-old French-Ivorian defender on a long-term contract, with club-to-club negotiations with Salzburg in their final stages. A medical and the official signing remain outstanding but are expected to be completed imminently.
The transfer is structured around a fixed fee of €20 million, with performance-related add-ons worth a further €4-6 million. Salzburg have also secured a significant sell-on clause as part of the agreement — a common condition in their sales of highly rated young players.
Gadou joined Salzburg from Paris Saint-Germain in September 2024 for a fee of around €10 million, having come through the PSG academy without making a senior appearance. His development in Austria has been rapid. He made 33 appearances across all competitions this season, including seven in the Europa League, accumulating over 2,700 minutes — a significant workload for a teenager at a club consistently operating in European competition.
Plettenberg described the deal as strong business by Book, who inherited a Dortmund side in need of defensive reinforcement following a difficult campaign. Niko Kovač's side are second in the Bundesliga and guaranteed Champions League football next season, a factor that is understood to have been decisive in Gadou's decision to choose Dortmund over other interested parties.
Kehl, Book's predecessor, had been monitoring Gadou since early last year and laid the groundwork for the eventual pursuit.
Gadou is a France youth international and has been regarded within French football as one of the more promising young centre-backs of his generation since his time in the PSG academy.