"We've got a young team with lots of promise and we want to keep them together. The fact we convinced Jonathan to stick with us says a lot for everybody involved," said CEO Michael Schade.
Jonathan Tah joined Bayer 04 in 2015 from Hamburg SV. The 1.94 metre central defender has made 112 appearances for the Werkself in domestic and European competitions and made his full international debut for Germany. Sporting director Rudi Völler: "Jonathan has progressed fantastically at Leverkusen, exceeded our expectations and is now one of the top German defenders. A number of top clubs have shown an interest in him. It's a big success for Bayer 04 that he's decided to extend his stay at the club. Jonathan knows what he's got at Leverkusen and he'd like to take the next steps in his career here."
Head coach Heiko Herrlich is looking forward to continuing to work with the number four: "Jona has outstanding assets. He's quick, technically strong, has great physical strength, is calm and has vision. But he still feels he has room for improvement. He will bring us a lot of pleasure and have fun."
The player takes a similar view: I've always said I really feel at home in Leverkusen. The club and the rest are perfect for me. I became a full international at Bayer 04 and I can develop at the highest level here. We can achieve a lot with this young team. And I want to play my part," said Jonathan Tah.
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show moreTo all Bayer 04 fans: The Fanwelt will be closed all day next Monday 30 June. This is due to preparations for the change of kit supplier from Castore to New Balance on Tuesday 1 July.
Show moreThe Norway U23 international Julie Jorde has completed the move from Bayer 04 Leverkusen to Brøndby IF. The twelve-time champions of Denmark have signed the midfielder on permanent terms after her loan move from the Bundesliga to Denmark in the winter.
Show moreIt is almost two years since Bayer 04 new signing Abdoulaye Faye first stepped foot into the BayArena as a player for the Swedish club BK Häcken in the opening match in the 2023/24 Europa League campaign. A day before his nineteenth birthday, the central defender did not play in the 4-0 win for the Werkself but it was "an incredible night" for him on 21 September 2023 as he explained in his first interview on bayer04.de. "I watched the players and saw the fans. I liked it." It was also the first European night early on in his career. He only joined the then champions of Sweden in the cold north of Europe from his home in Senegal a few weeks before that special moment. Bayer04.de profiles our new defender.
Show moreWelcome, Abdoulaye Faye. The 20-year-old Senegalese central defender joins Leverkusen from top-flight Swedish club BK Häcken. In his first interview he talks about his move to Bayer 04 and his targets with the Werkself.
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