Wilfredo Leon is getting closer to joining the Turkish club "Halkbank" (Ankara), led by Radostin Stoychev. According to Polish media, the club is offering the 33-year-old national player 1.5 million euros net per season plus substantial bonuses.Volleyweek.bghowever, has information that the contract has already been signed.
New details about the potential transfer were published on October 26 by journalist Edyta Kowalczyk in "Przegląd Sportowy Onet". According to her information, the terms between Leon and "Halkbank" have already been agreed upon, with a one-year contract for the 2027/28 season with an option for extension.
The proposed remuneration reaches 1.5 million euros net annually, and additional bonuses for won trophies range between 50,000 and 150,000 euros. This means that the Polish national player could receive almost three times more compared to his current contract with "Bogdanka LUK" (Lublin).
It is curious that even after the tournament in Jesi, which ended on October 11,Volleyweek.bgreceived information that Leon had already signed a contract with "Halkbank". At that time, we did not publish the news because we did not have independent confirmation. We directly contacted the head coach of the Turkish club, Radostin Stoychev, but did not receive a definitive answer in either direction.
Subsequent publications in Poland lend additional weight to the information we have, although they still do not prove whether the contract has actually been signed.
The interest of "Halkbank" was first reported by journalist Jakub Balcerzak in the show "Prawda Siatki". According to Polish media, talks between the two sides have been ongoing since September, and the financial offer from the Ankara club is hard to ignore.
Leon himself has not confirmed a transfer yet. "I cannot say that such offers do not appear. For now, we are talking," the volleyball player told "Przegląd Sportowy Onet" on October 22.
His manager, Paulina Wójtowicz, also commented on the interest in her client, emphasizing that these are offers corresponding to the sports and marketing value of the Polish national player.
Leon's potential move to "Halkbank" also has a serious Bulgarian connection. The Turkish giant is led by Radostin Stoychev, and Matey Kaziyski and national player Denislav Bardarov play in his squad. If the transfer goes through, the Bulgarian coach will have another one of the biggest stars in world volleyball.
Besides the significantly higher remuneration, the potential change of championship also has a sporting logic. In Turkey, Leon would be subjected to less strain compared to the Polish championship, where the competition and intensity of matches are extremely high. This could prove to be an important factor before the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Meanwhile, the outside hitter continues to win trophies with "Bogdanka LUK". On Sunday, the team from Lublin won the Polish Supercup after defeating the champion "Aluron Warta" (Zawiercie) with a score of 3:0 (34:32, 25:20, 25:18). Leon finished with 16 points and ended the match with an ace.
His contract with the Polish club expires after the current season, and according to Edyta Kowalczyk, his move to Turkey seems increasingly likely.
For now, one significant question remains - is Leon about to sign with "Halkbank", or has it already happened, as indicated by the information received byVolleyweek.bgmore than two weeks ago? There is still no official confirmation of the transfer.