Palmeiras sign Ivorian defender, check out the details | OneFootball

Palmeiras has secured the signing of defender Koné, a native of the Ivory Coast. The 18-year-old defender, who has signed a contract valid until September 2028, joins to strengthen the club's Under-20 squad.

He had already been playing in friendly tournaments for Verdão, but was not participating in official tournaments, as he had not yet reached the minimum age of 18.

“I only have gratitude for Palmeiras for this opportunity. I am very happy to sign my first professional contract, this day will be forever marked in my life. I want to represent this jersey with a lot of love, grit, and determination,” said the defender.

Koné will be eligible to play in official matches for Verdão starting in January 2026. The Ivorian defender cannot be registered for the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, as his registration exceeds the deadline set by the Paulista Football Federation. Champions in 2022 and 2023, Palestra is seeking its third title in the tournament.

Interest from Barcelona

NOSSO PALESTRA learned that to sign Koné, Palmeiras paid €350,000 (about R$2.2 million at the current exchange rate) to JEK FC, from the Ivory Coast. Now, the club will pay around €1.1 million (about R$7 million) to acquire an additional 20% of the defender's rights.

The contract also includes a €1 million bonus for achieving certain goals with Verdão's professional team, such as matches played.

Before arriving at Brazil's Greatest Champion, the Ivorian youth national team defender received an official offer from Barcelona, Spain. The work and project presented by João Paulo Sampaio, together with Didi Gualberto and the company FDD Sports, responsible for the player's career, were crucial for his arrival in Brazil.

Koné is considered a potential major sale for Palmeiras in the near future. Barcelona remains interested in the defender, along with Premier League teams like Arsenal and Chelsea, who have been monitoring him since his time in Africa.

For better adaptation, the defender is taking Portuguese lessons three times a week and already speaks the language perfectly. There is an expectation that he will transition to Alviverde's professional team at the beginning of 2026.

Upcoming Palmeiras Matches

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.