Exequiel Palacios is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to join the English Premier League. Both clubs confirmed the move this evening. The Argentine World Cup champion signed a contract through 2030.
“With this transfer, we are fulfilling Exequiel Palacios’s long-held wish to prove himself in the Premier League after his stellar run in the Bundesliga,” Bayer’s sporting director Simon Rolfes is quoted as saying in a statement: “Pala has repeatedly demonstrated his exceptional soccer skills and, through his character and demeanor, has earned great respect within the team and throughout the entire club.”
The Argentine played for the Werkself for six and a half years. He joined Bayer 04 from River Plate in 2019 and steadily developed into one of the league’s best defensive midfielders during his time with the Werkself. Now, after 186 games and 15 goals, he is bidding farewell. “I matured as a soccer player at Bayer 04; they trusted me here, and I was able to develop everything that defines me on the field today,” Palacios said gratefully, adding, “I will always remain close to the guys, all the staff, and the fans, and I’ll be rooting hard for Bayer 04 in their games.”
He celebrated his greatest success with Leverkusen in the 2023–24 season, when the team won the domestic double—the German championship and the Cup. It had already become apparent that he would be leaving the club, though details regarding the transfer terms (a fixed fee of 22.5 million euros and 7.5 million euros in bonuses) still needed to be finalized. That has now been finalized, even though no official announcement has been made. He has played 41 international matches for Argentina, winning the Copa América twice (2021 and 2024) as well as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This past summer, he finished as runner-up at the World Cup in North America.
First World Champion to Play for the “Tractor Boys”
Ipswich Town confirmed, however, that the Argentine World Champion has signed a three-year contract through June 30, 2030, and will wear the number 25 jersey. The 27-year-old is also the first-ever World Champion to play for the “Tractor Boys.” “This is a club with big ambitions, and I’m looking forward to playing soccer in England and competing against some of the best clubs and players in the world,” said Palacios.
Manager Gary O’Neil added: “We’re very excited to have a player of his caliber. He’s a player who has enjoyed great success at the highest level: he’s won the most important title of all—the World Cup—and has also won major trophies at the club level. That experience will be crucial for us.”