Despite tabling a sizeable transfer offer, BVB have reportedly been rebuffed in their pursuit of the Bundesliga's latest rising star

Back in late April, former Bundesliga defender Tomasz Hajto, commenting on Polsat Sport, claimed that several Bundesliga clubs were tracking his talented compatriot. 

"According to my contacts, several German clubs already have Kacper on their radar—such as Leverkusen and Dortmund. But clubs from England and Italy are also interested in him," Hajto said at the time, suggesting that a club would probably have to fork out "somewhere around 30 million euros" for the centre-back's services.

However, after Dortmund spent €20 million on Joane Gadou from RB Salzburg to strengthen the centre-back position, it is uncertain whether the club remains in the race for last season's breakout star from Mainz.

Potulski graduated from Mainz's reserve side to the first team just before the winter break, having cycled through every youth setup at the club since 2023. The 18-year-old was given his chance to shine in the Conference League, where he impressed across the board, and eventually started his first Bundesliga match at the end of November. 

In only his second league outing he opened his account with a goal against none other than Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, delivering a performance that instantly put him on the national radar.

Nevertheless, his playing time under head coach Urs Fischer fell sharply from March onwards: until early May, Potulski sat out the full 90 minutes on the bench in five of seven matches, before Fischer turned to the defensive gem again in the final stretch of the season. Even so, the brief demotion left its mark in Mainz.

For the second time in a year, he has changed agents at his father's urging and is now represented by Sports360, a move that may signal a push for a transfer soon. "The lad might soon ask himself why he should stay in Mainz if he plays brilliantly one moment and then not at all the next. That's a danger," Hajto told Bild. He also warned Mainz against treating their top talent too carelessly: "Kacper has always made the most of his chances and put in strong performances," said Hajto. That is why he cannot understand why Potulski was sidelined again at times under Fischer.

Despite the simmering discontent, Potulski remains on track to become a key figure at Mainz. Sporting director Niko Bungert underlined this point, pointing to the forward's contract that runs until 2028: "Kacper is the future. He has incredible quality and will be a regular on our pitch in the future. I'm certain of that."

The 18-year-old has been called up for friendly matches against Ukraine and Nigeria, potentially marking his senior debut with Poland after only two U21 appearances.