Bayer Leverkusen sign Vitoria Guimaraes star Tapsoba for record fee
Bayer Leverkusen completed the signing of Guimaraes’ highly promising ball-playing defender Edmond Tapsoba on deadline day.
The 20-year old centreback joins the club for a fee that could rise to as much as 25 million euros, which smashes the previous record departure from Vitoria Guimaraes, which was set in 2010 when Bebe joined Manchester United for 9 million euros.
This therefore provides a significant financial windfall for Vitoria SC, though there is still some disappointment amongst fans that he was let go for a price widely deemed as less than his true value, which speaks volumes regarding the quality of the player.
Leverkusen will pay 18 million euros up front, with a further 7 million available to Guimaraes should he achieve certain objectives whilst at the club.
Tapsoba signs on a 5 and a half-year contract, meaning that he is due to remain at the club until at least the summer of 2025.
Tapsoba, who is already a Burkina Faso international, having already represented his country on eight occasions, was a standout performer in Liga NOS this season, not only for his impressive defensive ability, but also for his willingness to carry the call out from defence and try and instigate an attack with his passing capability from his deep starting position.
He also chipped in with 8 goals for Guimaraes this season, frequently from the spot, where he proved to be composed in high-pressure moments.
He had previously been linked with moves to Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, illustrating how in-demand the young defender was after a stellar season with Guimaraes.
