Kossounou talks get tense between Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen over 25m price

Atalanta are locked in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen for Odilon Kossounou, demanding a discount on the €25m fee because he was injured for so much of his loan spell.

The defender made the move to Bergamo last summer for €5.2m with an option to buy for a further €25m.

Now that the campaign is over, Atalanta are eager to make the move permanent, but are pushing for a discount on that figure.

This is because he managed only 22 competitive appearances for the club, having sustained a very serious injury in January.

Injury meant Atalanta without Kossounou for 3 months

Kossounou was ruled out of action for three months by a tear in the tendon of the adductor muscle in his right thigh.

It was so bad that it required surgery performed by specialist Doctor Ramon Cugat in Barcelona.

According to Sky Sports Deutschland transfer expert Florian Plettenberg, Bayer Leverkusen are refusing to budge from their initial agreement.

The German side want the full €25m for Kossounou, or they will recall him to base and then try to sell to another club this summer.

The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international is not part of Bayer Leverkusen’s plans for next season.