Kofane puts Leverkusen contract talks on hold amid interest from Arsenal, Newcastle, Man United, Aston Villa and Everton

A month ago, it was reported that Christian Kofane was on the verge of signing a long-term contract extension with Bayer Leverkusen.

However, a final agreement on a new deal beyond 2029 has yet to be reached between the player and the club, with Sport Bild now reporting that their talks have hit a stumbling block.

Kofane is said to have plenty of suitors, with the report claiming that he turned down approaches from Premier League clubs Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Everton in August.

Meanwhile, English champions Arsenal have been in contact with the striker’s management since the spring, while Manchester United also made contact recently.

However, Kofane has seemingly not put contract talks on hold because he wants to leave or has changed his mind about his future. He remains keen to sign a new deal, but perhaps on different terms.

The report claims that the striker informally shared details of the contract negotiated by his agency, Afrosport, with other representatives, whose response was that there was room for a better deal.

According to Sport Bild, the issue is neither Kofane’s base salary nor a release clause, but the signing bonus. However, it’s unclear whether Leverkusen would be willing to increase the bonus after the two sides had essentially agreed on the terms of a new contract.

What does seem clear, however, is that the 20-year-old wants to continue working with his current agency despite the developments outlined above.

The Cameroon international forward has scored three goals in six games for Leverkusen so far this season.