Bayer Leverkusen have confirmed the sale of Argentine U20 international Alejo Sarco to Sporting Gijon. The 20-year-old departs the Bundesliga for a modest transfer fee of less than €1m, but Leverkusen have hedged their bets via a buyback option. The arrangement is similar to that of Bosnian winger Kerim Alajbegovic; whom die Werkself eventually bought back from RB Salzburg after a successful year in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Who is Alejo Sarco?
Leverkusen picked up the natural center forward on a free transfer in January of 2025. Sarco ended up making three substitute appearances for Germany’s red company team during the first half of the subsequent 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. During the second half of last season, a loan to Borussia Mönchengladbach merely yielded the same number of appearances off the bench.
Sarco did nevertheless score two goals for the Gladbach reserves in the German fourth division and is still considered an outstanding prospect. There remains no reliable information on the amount Sarco’s buyback option at this time. Alajbegovic’s buyback clause was initially reported to be €5m, but may have actually been in the €8m-€10m range.
Bayer Leverkusen statement on Sarco’s sale
“In his year and a half with us, Alejo didn’t get the playing time we had hoped for,” B04 sporting director Simon Rolfes noted in a club statement. “Certainly not the kind of playing time a player his age needs. With his move to Spain, he now has the opportunity to gain valuable playing time. We have high hopes for him and will closely follow his development.”
