Alejo Sarco joins Sporting Gijon with Bayer holding a buy-back option

Alejo Sarco has joined Sporting Gijon from Bayer Leverkusen on a permanent transfer. Bayer retain buy-back options for the 20-year-old Argentine striker. Sporting have not disclosed the length of his new contract.

Sarco trained with Nicolas Larcamon’s squad after the move was announced. He then joined the group travelling to its camp in Vigo. The forward becomes Sporting’s sixth addition before the new Spanish second-division season.

The agreement keeps a route back to Bayer

A permanent transfer gives Sporting control of Sarco’s registration. The buy-back clauses give Bayer a future route to re-sign him under agreed conditions. Neither club has published the transfer fee or the values of those options.

That structure reflects Sarco’s age and limited senior minutes. Sporting can work with him as their own player. Bayer can continue following his progress after deciding that he needs more regular football elsewhere.

Bayer sporting director Simon Rolfes said the striker did not receive the playing time expected in Germany. He described the Spanish move as a chance to collect important minutes. The club still believes in Sarco’s longer-term potential.

Sporting described the agreement as long term without publishing an exact end date. The completed transfer also contains buy-back rights for Bayer Leverkusen.

A short German period followed his Argentine start

Sarco came through the youth system at Velez Sarsfield. He reached the Argentine top division before moving to Bayer in January 2025. His first European contract with the German club ran until 2029.

He made three Bundesliga appearances for Bayer. Those minutes introduced him to senior German football but did not create a regular role. Rolfes cited that limited playing time when explaining the move.

Bayer sent him to Borussia Monchengladbach during the second half of last season. He worked around both the senior side and the reserve structure. The loan added another environment before his permanent move to Spain.

The sequence has been quick: Argentina, Leverkusen, Monchengladbach and now Gijon. Sporting become his fourth senior environment in a short period. Larcamon already has other forwards from last season’s squad.

Argentina’s youth teams shaped his profile

Sarco represented Argentina at under-17 and under-20 level. He played at the 2023 South American Under-17 Championship. Two years later, he joined the squad that finished second at the Under-20 World Cup.

He scored four goals at that World Cup and finished as Argentina’s leading scorer. Those performances strengthened his reputation as a penalty-area forward. Youth international results remain separate from the demands of a full club season.

Sporting are signing a player with strong youth-tournament experience but few senior league starts. His four World Cup goals sit beside only three Bundesliga appearances. The two records show different stages of the same career.

Cologne recently added another young forward from an established European academy. The Reigan Heskey transfer offers a different route into regular senior football.

Training began before the Vigo camp

Sarco watched Sporting’s first summer friendly against Marino from the stands. He completed the required process around the transfer and then joined training. His first full camp will take place with the team in Vigo.

Sporting scheduled preparation matches during the Vigo stay. Sarco joined the travelling group after watching the first summer friendly. The camp is his first extended period with Larcamon’s squad.

Larcamon called him a player with great potential while stressing his youth. The coach also noted that existing attackers performed well last season. Sarco therefore joins competition rather than entering an empty position.

Larcamon described Sarco as a quick, left-footed striker with strong potential. The coach also referred to the work of Sporting’s existing attackers. His comments placed the new signing inside an established group.

Sarco joins Sporting for regular senior football

Sarco reached Argentina’s top division with Velez Sarsfield before Bayer Leverkusen signed him. He later worked with Borussia Monchengladbach during a loan in Germany.

The forward made three Bundesliga appearances for Bayer. He also scored four goals as Argentina finished second at the Under-20 World Cup.

Sporting completed a permanent transfer, while Bayer retained agreed buy-back rights. The clubs did not publish the transfer fee or the value of those options.

Sarco joined Sporting’s squad for its training camp in Vigo. The striker became the Spanish club’s sixth addition of the summer window.