Gladbach stick to €20 million figure on Koné deal

Manu Koné’s confirmed transfer from Borussia Mönchengladbach to AS Roma yesterday has yielded some conflicting reports on the nature of the deal. The Serie A side – in introducing the newly called up French international last night – spoke of a loan deal with an obligatory purchase option. Other reports suggested a straight transfer fee of €18 million. 

In response to an inquiry from German footballing journalist Jan Lustig of Germany’s Kicker magazine, the BMG administrative team have insisted that they pocketed a base-transfer-fee of €20 million for the 23-year-old. Moreover, the figure can rise significantly higher via performance related bonuses. The deal could potentially become the second most lucrative in Gladbach’s history.

The deal may ultimately eclipse Thorgan Hazard’s €25.5 million sale to Borussia Dortmund in 2019 and Jannik Verstergaard’s €23 million move to Southampton in the year prior. In any event, Koné’s move will not threaten the status of the most expensive BMG outgoing transfer of all time. The foals once pocketed €43 million when they sold current Leverkusen talisman Granit Xhaka to Arsenal in 2016.