Leverkusen have developed a reputation as the perfect stepping stone, selling many of their talented youngsters to the big clubs around Europe
If you're an up and coming talent looking for a career springboard, then Bayer Leverkusen isn't the worst choice.
This is evident by the Werkself's transfer record, with numerous young players earning a big-money move after impressing at Leverkusen.
Leverkusen may not win title after title, but as a regular in the Champions League, the club offers its players the opportunity to test themselves regularly on Europe's biggest stage.
There have been several players who have managed to attract the attention of some of the finest clubs in the world with their performances for Leverkusen, helping the Bundesliga side fill their coffers.
Six of the top seven sales by Leverkusen were no older than 23 when they left the club and with players like Hakan Calhanoglu, Heung-Min Son and Kai Havertz, there have certainly been some high-profile names who came through the ranks at Bayer.
Leverkusen most expensive sales by season
Season
Biggest Sale
Transfer Fee
Total Sales
2022/23
Lucas Alario
€6m
€8.5m
2021/22
Leon Bailey
€32m
€43.1m
2020/21
Kai Havertz
€80m
€91m
2019/20
Julian Brandt
€25m
€33.5m
2018/19
Bernd Leno
€25m
€45m
2017/18
Hakan Calhanoglu
€23.3m
€91.1m
2016/17
Christoph Kramer
€15m
€23.7m
2015/16
Heung-Min Son
€30m
€63.3m
2014/15
Emre Can
€12m
€18.4m
2013/14
Andre Schürrle
€22m
€35.6m
2012/13
Renato Augusto
€6.7m
€14.7m
2011/12
Arturo Vidal
€12.5m
€16.1m
2010/11
Patrick Helmes
€5m
€6.6m
2009/10
Theofanis Gekas
€0.6m
€1.6m
2008/09
Paul Freier
€1.1m
€4m
2007/08
Juan
€6m
€7.4m
2006/07
Dimitar Berbatov
€15.7m
€17.6m
2005/06
Emanuel Pogatetz
€2.7m
€5.8m
2004/05
Lucio
€12m
€15.8m
2003/04
Sebastian Schoof
€0.05m
€0.05m
2002/03
Ze Roberto
€9.5m
€16m
2001/02
Robert Kovac
€7.5m
€9.2m
2000/01
Emerson
€18m
€24.6m
Total
€592.5m (Approximately)
Bayer Leverkusen top 10 most expensive salesGetty Images10Emerson | €18 million | Roma | 2000
Emerson's sale to AS Roma in 2000 was Bayer Leverkusen's record sale for almost 13 years.
The club had only paid Gremio €3.5 million for the Brazilian midfielder three years earlier and it constituted a really good return on the investment.
Emerson had a great career, playing for the likes of Roma, Juventus, Milan and Real Madrid, among others, and won the Italian and Spanish league titles.
AdvertisementGetty Images9Benjamin Henrichs | €20 million | Monaco | 2018
Benjamin Henrichs came through the Leverkusen youth sides and went on to fetch the club a tidy sum when he left for Monaco in 2018 after three years in the first team.
After two years, he returned to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, initially on loan.
Leipzig then made the move permanent for €15 million in 2021.
Getty Images8Kevin Kampl | €20 million | RB Leipzig | 2017
Kampl was yet another ex-Leverkusen star who ended up at RB Leipzig.
The midfielder was also a product of the Leverkusen academy, but left the club for the first time in 2010 in search of first-team opportunities.
He worked his way up through lower-league clubs and represented RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, before he returned to Leverkusen in 2015.
Two years later, however, he went to RB Leipzig for €20 million and Bayer made a healthy profit of €9m on his sale.
Getty Images7Andre Schurrle | €22 million | Chelsea | 2013
Schurrle is widely known as the player who assisted Mario Gotze's title-winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final.
The former Germany winger honed his skills at Leverkusen, having joined the club in 2011 from Mainz.
He stayed at Leverkusen for two years, scoring a total of 18 goals and collected 13 assists.
English giants Chelsea came calling soon, but he didn't succeed in England.
Surprisingly, Schurrle retired at the age of 29.