Ojigwe refused to return to his parent club and instead moved to Champions League participant Bayer 04 Leverkusen, for a transfer fee reported to be DM 3.5 million (about €1.75 million).[2][3] On the occasion of the transfer there had been a huge public argument between then Köln and Leverkusen managers, Johannes Linßen and Reiner Calmund.[4]