Odilon Kossounou, born on the 4th of January 2001 in the Ivory Coast, is a 23-year-old professional footballer. Standing at a commanding 6ft 3in (1.91m), and weighing in at 12st 6lb (79kg), Kossounou primarily plays as a central defender, most recently for Atalanta, sporting the number 3 jersey. He is also a representative for the national team of his homeland, Ivory Coast.
Kossounou's current market value is reputed to be around £26m, according to data collected by Transfermarkt. With Atalanta, his existing contract is scheduled to conclude on 30 June 2025, in 9 months' time.
Kossounou's first move in the world of professional football occurred in January 2019, when he transferred from Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas to Hammarby IF, a club that takes part in Sweden's Allsvenskan. The transaction fee remained undisclosed. In his debut season for Hammarby IF, amidst the hubbub of 2019, Kossounou graced the field in nine league games.
Kossounou's tenure with Hammarby IF came to an end in July 2019, when he transferred to Club Brugge, a member of the Pro League in Belgium, for a fee of approximately £3.5m. In the 2019 - 2020 season, Kossounou made six appearances in league matches for Club Brugge. The following season, 2020 - 2021, saw Kossounou put in a solid shift, participating in 27 league matches and even scoring a goal.
In July 2021, Club Brugge and Kossounou parted ways, with the player transferring to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany's Bundesliga for a hefty sum of around £21m. Throughout the 2021-2022 season, Kossounou made his presence known in 27 league matches. The 2022 - 2023 season saw Kossounou feature on the pitch in 24 league games, and the subsequent season, 2023 - 2024, saw him add 22 appearances and a goal to his accomplishments.
Come August 2024, Kossounou found himself on the move once again. Bayer Leverkusen agreed to a loan agreement with Atalanta, a Serie A club in Italy. In the current 2024 - 2025 season, Kossounou has defended Atalanta's goal in two league matches so far.
On an international level, Kossounou demonstrated his defending skills representing the Ivory Coast in the Africa CON 2023, starting in three matches. Additionally, he participated in the 2024 - 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in Africa with one start, as well as one start in the 2024 - 2025 Champions League with Atalanta.
