According to Bild, 26-year-old Argentine defender Medina arrived in Bayer Leverkusen on Monday, with only the signing of the contract remaining and he will undergo a medical examination.
Medina has secured a contract that runs until 2031. Bayer Leverkusen will pay Marseille a transfer fee of €20 million. The Argentine international, who previously played for Lens and Marseille, will be joining Leverkusen for his third European club. Argentina's national team coach, Lionel Scaloni (48), particularly admires Medina's mental fortitude.
In November 2024, Medina was called up at the last minute for the World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. Scaloni revealed: "He bought his own plane ticket because he really wanted to come to the national team. Medina wasn't even on the initial roster. He talked to the coach, booked his ticket, and came right away. This is very valuable and sends a signal to his teammates."
To date, Medina has made 14 appearances for Argentina. During the World Cup, he played in 5 of Argentina's 8 matches. In the final against Spain (0-1, extra time), the defender was substituted due to injury in the 50th minute. Lionel Messi (39 years old) is one of his best friends on the national team.
Medina will become the eighth Argentine player in Bayer Leverkusen's history. Previously, Diego Placente, Lucas Alario, Ezequiel Palacios, Emiliano Buendía, Alejo Sarco, Claudio Echeverri, and Eki Fernandez have all worn the Leverkusen jersey. Medina's national teammate Palacios leads the list with 185 official appearances.
Argentine actor Gregor Rossello sent his best wishes via social media before Medina's departure for Germany: "We started joking around a few months ago. Today, someone I've started to consider a friend is leaving. 27 years old, just transferred from a club in France to another big club in Germany. This guy is the most easygoing and family-oriented person you can know. Good luck at Leverkusen, Faku."
