Dropping €159 million to outpace Bayern Munich and Dortmund, the Werkself have completely overhauled their squad with nineteen fresh signings to signal a bold new era.
Bayer Leverkusen have made their intentions clear.
After a summer of major squad changes, the Werkself have emerged as the biggest spenders in the Bundesliga, investing around €159 million on new arrivals, comfortably ahead of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
The scale of the spending reflects just how dramatically Leverkusen have reshaped their squad.
According to the latest transfer figures, Leverkusen have completed 19 arrivals, spending €159 million in total. Dortmund follow with €108.5 million, while Bayern Munich have spent €106.95 million. RB Leipzig sit fourth at €67.5 million.
What makes Leverkusen’s window particularly interesting is that this spending spree is aimed at rebuilding the squad around a new coach, but could such a major overhaul in a short period of time prove to be a huge risk?
The club has rebuilt across the pitch, bringing in Afonso Moreira, Kennet Eichhorn, Luca Erlein, Guéla Doué, Moussa Diaby, Facundo Medina, Ndjicoura Bomba and Miguel Gutiérrez, among others, with new arrivals coming from clubs across Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and beyond.
And several of those deals represent serious investments.
Moreira arrived from Lyon for a reported €29.5 million, while Gutiérrez cost around €26 million and Medina approximately €23 million. Doué and Diaby were both around the €30 million mark, making them two of the headline additions of the window.
Diaby's return is perhaps the most symbolic.
Three years after leaving the club, the French winger has returned from Al-Ittihad in a deal worth around €30 million. During his first spell in Leverkusen, Diaby developed into one of the Bundesliga's most dangerous attacking players, recording 49 goals and 48 assists in 173 appearances.
Then there is Doué, brought in from Strasbourg to solve a position that had become a clear priority. The Ivorian right-back signed until 2031, with the deal reported at around €30 million before bonuses.
The spending becomes even more interesting when you take the departures into account.
Leverkusen have also been extremely active in moving players on, with 17 departures generating approximately €119.85 million in income. That leaves the club with a net spend of around €39.15 million.
So while €159 million makes Leverkusen the Bundesliga's biggest gross spender, the picture is far more balanced when sales are included.
It is also a reflection of the scale of the rebuild under new head coach Carles Martínez.
The summer has seen Leverkusen replace experience, add younger players and strengthen several areas simultaneously. Rather than making one or two headline additions, the club has effectively rebuilt significant parts of the squad.
That strategy carries obvious risk. Spending more than any other Bundesliga club raises expectations immediately, particularly after Leverkusen's previous success. But the recruitment also shows a clear attempt to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
The question now is whether the investment translates onto the pitch.
Leverkusen have spent more than Bayern and Dortmund. They have added established internationals, highly rated young players and, in Diaby, a familiar star returning to the club.
The money has been spent. Now Martínez has to make it work.
From here, the stage only gets bigger.
