Levante exercise option to buy Arouna Kone

22-May-2012 8:15:00 PM

The Ivorian will sign a permanent deal at the Ciutat de Valencia but may well make an instant exit as the Liga side seek to improve the club's financial position

Levante have decided to make Arouna Kone's loan move from Sevilla permanent, but will look to sell him on straight away in order to bolster the club's ailing coffers.

Due to a clause in his contract, the Ivorian would have had to return to his parent club if he scored 18 goals for the Valencia-based club, but after missing the final three games of the season his tally remained at 17.

This has enabled Levante to retain his services, but they will immediately try to sell the striker at an increased price. It is a similar situation to that of Felipe Caicedo, who finished the 2010-11 season as top scorer while on loan at the club before being purchased and sold for a profit to Lokomotiv Moscow.

Kone has signed a one-year deal, with the option of an extension by the same amount, for an undisclosed fee and, according to El Pais, he will have a buy-out clause of €10 million.

Speculation over the 28-year-old's future remains rife and Tottenham Hotspur, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa and Reading have been listed among the potential suitors in the Spanish press.