Bayer Leverkusen has extended Abdoulaye Faye‘s contract before loaning the Senegalese centre-back to Celta Vigo. The 21-year-old has signed a new contract that will keep him at Leverkusen until 2031 and will spend the entire 2026/27 season with the La Liga team. The agreement does not include a purchase option. According to Kicker, Celta will pay a loan fee of around €300,000.
Faye joined Leverkusen from Swedish club BK Häcken last summer for a transfer fee between €2.7 million and €3 million. He was previously highlighted by Get German Football News when Leverkusen finalized the signing of the young talent.
The left-footed defender is part of a group of promising young players Leverkusen is developing. Faye was mentioned alongside Axel Tape in GGFN‘s coverage of Leverkusen’s strategy for developing talent through immediate loans.
Faye’s Second Development Loan
Last season, Faye was on loan at newly promoted Ligue 1 club Lorient, where he made 17 league appearances and established himself as a regular starter. Unfortunately, injuries limited his playing time, and he received eight yellow cards during his debut season in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
His loan to Lorient was part of a significant summer reshuffle for Leverkusen, marking the 13th outgoing transfer, as noted in GGFN‘s report on the club’s rapidly evolving squad.
Celta Vigo will provide Faye with valuable experience in La Liga and the Europa League. The Galician team finished sixth last season and will be competing in European competitions again.
The Senegalese defender is set to compete for the left centre-back position against former Spanish international Marcos Alonso, who made 32 league appearances last season and is a key figure in Celta’s defense.
Leverkusen’s Statement on Abdoulaye Faye’s Loan
“Abdoulaye Faye has significant potential, as he showed last season in France and during the early weeks of our current preseason,” stated Leverkusen’s director of football Kim Falkenberg in an official club statement. “This loan to Spain aims to provide him with further valuable playing experience at a high level and internationally, helping him take the next step in his development.”