Equi Fernández Completes Move to Bayer Leverkusen After Medical

Argentine midfielder Equi Fernández joined Bayer Leverkusen in a €30 million move from Saudi club Al Qadsiah after completing his medical Tuesday in Germany. This transfer is part of Leverkusen’s strategy to strengthen their squad, aiming to improve from last season’s performance.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Leverkusen reached an agreement with Saudi club Al Qadsiah on Tuesday, hours before the transfer window shuts. They will pay €25 million ($27 million) up front, plus €6 million ($6.5 million) in performance-related bonuses. Reports indicate that Fernández was initially signed by Al Qadsiah from River Plate for a fee reported near €18-20 million in August 2024 and only joined the Saudi club in January for €6 million ($6.5 million), marking one of the earliest big-money arrivals in the Saudi Pro League.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR LEVERKUSEN

The Bundesliga club have been on the lookout for a new player to bolster their central midfield since U21 Germany international Eric Martel was sidelined with a sprained right knee last week. Fernández’s arrival is the only new signing and will bring competition to Robert Andrich and Exequiel Palacios, who are now expected to form Leverkusen’s central midfield duo for the rest of the season. Notably, Fernández profiles as a ball-winning midfielder who can speed up build-up play with sharp progressive passes. He is among Leverkusen’s targets as they actively look to replace key players lost to Liverpool, including Frimpong and Wirtz.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Bayer Leverkusen’s next fixture sees them face Frankfurt, after drawing against Werder Bremen after being 2 goals in advance, and with one more player today. Leverkusen started the season with a 2-1 loss to Hoffenheim and currently sit just outside the European places after one match. Fernández could make his debut as soon as the next game, bringing energy and technical skill to a side eager to improve last season’s second-place finish and mount a challenge at the top. Fans will watch closely to see how the new signings impact results in the coming weeks as Leverkusen aims to build on their strong Bundesliga performance last season.