Couto, 24, joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Manchester City in the summer of 2024, with Dortmund triggering a purchase option shortly afterwards. The Brazilian struggled to establish himself during his time in Germany, managing only limited impact across two seasons at the club.
Under the terms of the loan, Como will cover Couto's wages for the duration of the deal.
Como, coached by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, secured Champions League qualification for next season after finishing in Serie A's European places. That European football should provide Couto with regular high-level game time, something Dortmund's hierarchy felt he had been lacking domestically.
According to Sky, Como had been keen to sign Couto on a permanent deal but were unable to meet Dortmund's valuation of at least €20m, leaving a loan as the most realistic option.
Separately, winger Julien Duranville, 20, is set to leave Dortmund permanently after agreeing a move to Olympique Lyon.
Duranville joined Dortmund from Anderlecht in 2023 but managed only 15 Bundesliga appearances across three seasons, with persistent injuries hampering his progress. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Basel, a spell that did little to revive his prospects at Dortmund. According to reports, Lyon will pay a total of €8.5m for Duranville, a similar figure to the fee Dortmund originally paid Anderlecht for the player in 2023.
Elsewhere, Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi, 24, is facing uncertainty over his future, with his contract at the club set to expire in 2027. Reports suggest Adeyemi is reluctant to sign a new deal, with the player said to be eyeing a free transfer in the future that would allow him to negotiate a significant signing-on fee.
For any transfer to take place this summer, Dortmund are reportedly asking for a fee in the region of €50m, with Aston Villa among the clubs showing concrete interest. Dortmund are also bracing for potential exits elsewhere in the squad, with striker Serhou Guirassy attracting interest from Birmingham-based Aston Villa, as well as Fenerbahce, Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.
Dortmund are said to be seeking around €40m for Guirassy, with a release clause of €35m for top clubs reportedly not active for that quartet of interested sides. Centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, 26, recently signed a contract extension at Dortmund but retains an exit clause for selected clubs, reported to be in the region of €50m to €60m.
Real Madrid are among the clubs said to hold that clause, with reports in Spain suggesting the Spanish giants, considered Schlotterbeck's preferred destination, are preparing an offer. For Dortmund, the summer represents a period of significant squad turnover, with departures at full-back and in wide attacking positions already taking shape, while the futures of several key first-team players remain to be resolved.
How much of that turnover translates into incoming transfer funds is likely to shape the scale of Dortmund's own recruitment plans as the window progresses.