Teenage forward George Ilenikhena is being linked with a move from Monaco to Bayer Leverkusen, with the Ligue 1 club potentially facing a decision over the highly rated striker’s long-term future.
Transfer data lists the 19-year-old centre-forward as a rumoured target for the Bundesliga side, with the likelihood of a deal currently marked only as “?”. Ilenikhena’s present contract situation at Monaco is unclear in the records provided, raising the prospect that he could become a free agent in the future if no agreement is secured, something that will not go unnoticed by clubs tracking his progress.
The left-footed attacker, who holds both Nigerian and French nationality, is currently valued at €12.00m. That figure represents a slight dip from a previous €15m valuation during his early months at Monaco but still underlines his standing as one of the more prominent young forwards in European football.
Born in Lagos on 16 August 2006 and standing at 1.85m, Ilenikhena has climbed rapidly through the professional game. He moved from Amiens SC’s youth ranks into their senior side, then joined Royal Antwerp in Belgium in 2023 before switching to Monaco in July 2024. His market value rose sharply during his time at Antwerp, climbing from €1m at Amiens to €10m in less than a year.
Leverkusen’s interest, as recorded in the latest rumour data, would represent a return to a league he has not yet played in, adding the Bundesliga to a CV that already includes France’s Ligue 1 and Belgium’s top flight. No fee or timeframe is indicated at this stage, underlining that talks, if any, are at an early or speculative stage.
Should a move to Leverkusen materialise, it could offer Ilenikhena a significant platform to develop his reputation further and shape the next phase of a career that has already progressed at remarkable speed.
