Guéla Doué is scheduled to undergo a medical examination on Tuesday ahead of a permanent transfer from RC Strasbourg to Bayer Leverkusen, according to widespread reports confirmed by football journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Bundesliga club has reached an agreement with the French side for a total package valued at 37.5 million euros, including bonuses, setting up one of the major deals of the closing transfer window.
The Financial Scope of the Deal
The impending transfer represents a substantial financial return for Strasbourg, which acquired the right-back from Stade Rennais for six million euros in July 2024. Over the course of two seasons in Alsace, Doué’s valuation has multiplied more than sixfold.
According to regional sports coverage from Alsa’Sports, this transaction stands as Strasbourg’s second-largest sale of the summer transfer window, trailing only Diego Moreira’s move to AC Milan. The incoming fee pushes the club’s cumulative summer sales past the 175 million euro threshold.
Transfer Context and Decision Making
Interest in the defender extended beyond the German champions. Reports indicate that Doué declined an approach from Paris Saint-Germain—where he would have joined his brother, Désiré—in favor of a move to Leverkusen that offered more concrete assurances regarding regular playing time.
Pending the outcome of Tuesday’s medical evaluations in Germany, the formalities of the contract are expected to be finalized before the transfer window shuts. The ongoing negotiations kept the defender out of the squad for Strasbourg’s Ligue 1 victory against Lens.
Replacement Plans in Alsace
With Doué’s departure all but finalized, Strasbourg’s technical staff faces an immediate squad vacancy on the right side of the defense ahead of the window’s closing hour. Reports from French media indicate that Alidu Seidu, the versatile defender currently with Stade Rennais, has emerged as a primary target to fill the void on the right flank.
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