Bayer 04 sign Ivorian international Kossounou
Bayer 04 have signed central defender Odilon Kossounou from Belgian champions FC Brugge. The Ivory Coast international has signed a deal with Leverkusen to 30 June 2026.
"I'm happy the transfer to Bayer 04 has gone through. The two years at FC Brugge were great above all, of course, because of the two league titles we won," said the 20-year-old Kossounou. "But the Bundesliga is something completely different. I want to show at Leverkusen that I am a top player at this level and that I can help the team."
Rolfes: "Odilon has everything"
Sporting director Simon Rolfes characterises the Ivorian as "extremely quick, mobile, very strong in the tackle and technically good. Odilon Kossounou has made a rapid development as a really young player in the past two years in Belgium," said Rolfes, "he still hasn't exhausted his full potential. Odilon has everything to be able to play an important role in our team in the future."
And sporting managing director Rudi Völler is impressed by the 1.91 metre tall international who has won four caps for his country so far: "We are very happy that we were able to complete this transfer. Odilon Kossounou fits in perfectly with us. A central defender with impressive dynamism and body language plus great potential in the game. He will do very well for us in the next few years."
Related News
Bayer 04 - 13.01.2026
Tapsoba sidelined by muscle injury
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
Show more
Werkself-TV - 12.01.2026
Hjulmand ahead of #HSVB04: ‘Don't panic, stay calm and optimistic’
The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
Show more
Women - 11.01.2026
Algarve sunshine instead of sub-zero temperatures: Bayer 04 Women start winter training camp
In Germany, the temperatures are currently around zero, leaving even professional footballers freezing - but not the Bayer 04 Women. Roberto Pätzold's team have fled the cold to the south and are preparing for the second half of the season at a training camp in the Algarve, almost 2,000 kilometres away from home as the crow flies. The Leverkusen squad landed in Faro on Saturday morning and have already completed the first three training sessions over the weekend.
Show more
Bundesliga - 11.01.2026
Werkself review #B04VfB: Honest words and looking ahead
It was a disappointing Saturday night. The Werkself lost 4-1 to VfB Stuttgart to start the new year on Bundesliga matchday 16 in 2025/26, a result that left both players and fans disappointed. "We played without any passion," said Alejandro Grimaldo honestly afterwards. Teammate Jarell Quansah was even more self-critical, emphasising: "We were miles off it in the first half. You can't put in a performance like that, especially in front of our own fans and I can only apologise to them, to be honest." Read on for the reaction, facts and stats from the clash with VfB Stuttgart in the Werkself review.
Show more
