Atalanta Bergamo has activated its option to buy Odilon Kossounou. Bayer 04 Leverkusen will receive a transfer fee of 25 million euros for the defender, even though the Italians wanted to push the price down.
In the summer of 2024, Odilon Kossounou virtually fled Leverkusen. The relationship with then-coach Xabi Alonso had broken down. So the Ivorian Africa Cup winner decided to move to Atalanta Bergamo. On loan.
This would have expired at the end of June, but now the northern Italians have exercised their contractually agreed purchase option. The Champions League participant, who had previously paid a loan fee of five million euros, had to activate this clause even though it did not actually want to pay the full amount.
However, the desire to reduce the fixed transfer fee came to nothing. On the one hand, because Bayer was not willing to further improve the agreement, which was already favorable for Atalanta. On the other hand, because Kossounou had attracted interest in Serie A last season.
Among others, AS Roma are said to have made efforts to sign the 24-year-old, who can play as a right-back and in central defense. Consequently, despite reports to the contrary, Bayer had no need to deviate from the contractually agreed sum.
“Odilon was an important factor in our team during the most successful year in the club’s history. We are delighted that he has settled in so well in Bergamo and wish him every success for the future,” said Bayer’s sporting director Simon Rolfes about the professional, who was previously under contract in Leverkusen until 2026.
Already over 70 million euros in transfer income
With this transfer and the already completed transfers of Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool FC for €40 million, Gustavo Puerta to Hull City for €4.5 million and Jonathan Tah (transfer package including bonuses of between €2 million and €4 million) to FC Bayern, the club has already generated over €70 million in transfer income this summer.
Next week, the €150 million transfer package for Florian Wirtz, who will be moving to Liverpool FC, will be added to this. This means that Bayer will definitely break the €200 million mark in this transfer window. Further increases cannot be ruled out.
