Bafounta,16, is considered one of the finest young talents to come out of France in recent years. An imposing 1.93m, he has already won comparisons to a young Paul Pogba for his accomplished midfield play in Lyon and Nantes’ youth divisions. And while the likes of Everton, Sevilla, Inter and Manchester United had all been linked to the prospect, it is Dortmund that have finally won the race.
The Bundesliga side impressed Bafounta with their impeccable track record with young players, having also promised not to rush him into first-team action. Dortmund also helped hone countryman Ousmane Demble during his single season in Germany, before selling the forward to Barcelona at the start of the 2017-18 season.
“The first time I had him at Under-15 level Kamal was 13. We were playing against Bourg-Peronnas and 30 minutes in he picked up the ball in our half, dribbled past four or five players and scored,” Renard recalled.
“That move has stayed in my mind because it shows why Kamal has progressed so much. He was much bigger than the rest, his physical and technical talent gave him a huge advantage