Ivory Coast defender Guéla Doué is close to completing a move from Strasbourg to Bayer Leverkusen after the German club reached an agreement for his transfer.
Leverkusen have agreed a package worth up to €37.5m, including bonuses, for the 23-year-old right-back, with the player also understood to have accepted the move.
The Bundesliga club have received permission for Doué to travel for his medical examination, with the final stages of the transfer now under way.
According to the information provided, Leverkusen have agreed a €30m fixed fee with Strasbourg, with the deal potentially rising to €36m through add-ons. Other reports in the article put the overall package at about €37.5m.
Doué’s move is expected to be completed before the transfer window closes, barring any late change.
The Ivorian international had attracted interest from a number of clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, but Leverkusen appear to have won the race for his signature.
PSG have continued to monitor the defender’s situation and could still attempt to intervene before the deadline. However, Doué is reportedly more attracted to Leverkusen’s plans, particularly because of the possibility of regular first-team football and a starting role.
That preference could prove decisive as the German club moves towards completing the deal.
Leverkusen had identified the defender as a clear transfer target before the deadline and moved quickly once an agreement with Strasbourg became possible.
Doué has now been authorised by Strasbourg to travel for his medical, an indication that the transfer is at an advanced stage.
For the Ivorian, the proposed move represents another important step in a career that has increasingly attracted attention in European football.
Born in France, Doué represents Ivory Coast at international level. His move to one of Germany’s leading clubs would give him the opportunity to continue his development in the Bundesliga while competing for a place in a squad with European ambitions.
