Nestory Irankunda: Watford and Australia winger linked with Bayer Leverkusen move

Australia and Tanzania winger Nestory Irankunda, currently at Watford, is being linked with a move to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen as the German club explore options to strengthen their wide attacking positions.

The 20-year-old right winger joined Watford from FC Bayern II in July 2025 for a fee of around €3m and still has four years remaining on a contract that runs until 30 June 2030. His current valuation stands at about €8m, a figure that is expected to shape any negotiations between the Championship club and Leverkusen.

Irankunda has built a reputation as a direct attacking threat from the right flank, with 16 goals and eight assists across 55 A-League Men appearances earlier in his career before moving to Europe. Since arriving in England he has featured regularly in the Championship, adding further experience after earlier spells in Switzerland’s Super League and German regional football.

On the international stage, Irankunda has recently featured at the 2026 World Cup, making four appearances and scoring once, underlining his growing stature for Australia. He was previously the top scorer in AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifying in 2022-23 with eight goals, marking him out early in his career.

Watford face a decision over whether to cash in on a player tied to a long-term deal or hold firm in the face of interest from Germany. For now, Irankunda remains under contract with the Championship club, who are in a strong position to demand a significant fee if Leverkusen choose to pursue the deal.