Bayer Leverkusen have completed the signing of Ivory Coast defender Guela Doue from Strasbourg for about €37.5m.
The 23-year-old full-back joins the German club after an impressive Ligue 1 campaign, taking another significant step in his career. His transfer also delivers a substantial profit for Strasbourg, who signed him from Stade Rennais for just €6m two years ago.
Doue’s departure is the latest in a series of major sales by the Alsace club. His market value had been estimated at €20m, meaning Strasbourg have secured a fee well above that valuation for a player who spent only two seasons at the club.
The move follows the departures of Diego Moreira and Valentin Barco. Moreira joined AC Milan for €50m, while Barco transferred to Chelsea in a deal worth €40m.
Those transactions have taken Strasbourg’s income from the summer transfer window beyond the €200m mark. The figure underlines the club’s growing strength in the transfer market and its strategy of developing young players before selling them for significant fees.
Doue had been earning an annual salary of €900,000, equivalent to 585,000,000 FCFA, during his time at Strasbourg.
Leverkusen have now added another defensive option ahead of their Bundesliga campaign. Their next fixture will be against Union Berlin on matchday two of the German championship.
According to betting company 1xBet, Leverkusen are priced at 1.50 to win that match, with a draw listed at 4.33 and an Union Berlin victory at 5.50.