Arfaoui made a significant contribution to Servette FCCF winning the Swiss Women's Super League last season with six goals and seven assists. The 21-year-old also made her debut in the Women's Champions League last term; since last year she has also been in the Switzerland squad alongside Bayer 04 player Lara Marti.
"My visit to Leverkusen, the meeting with the management and the professional set-up at Bayer 04 persuaded me straightaway. Signing here means a new and important step for me in my development," said Arfaoui. "The progress of the club in the Bundesliga is incredibly promising. I'm looking forward to this new challenge."
Head coach Achim Feifel sees the international as "a very promising offensive player" and is certain "she can liven up our game going forward with her creative potential."
In addition, Bayer 04 have extended the contract with Jessica Wich. The 30-year-old has played at Leverkusen since the 2014/15 season and is now set to start her eighth campaign in Black and Red.
The captain, currently in rehab at the Werkstatt at the BayArena due to a knee injury, is looking forward "to another year with Bayer 04" and hopes, "to be able to support the young team with my experience both on and off the pitch."
The Black and Reds kick off the new Bundesliga campaign today, Saturday 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), away to newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg – and the Werkself will come up against a familiar face who is currently causing a stir at ‘Elv’. For an affordable and easy journey to the Saarland, the 1,600 travelling fans can still use the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Today’s matchday news..
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The European jersey has been launched, the UEL opponents have been drawn – and anticipation for the European campaign is running high. To mark the occasion, an autograph session was held on Friday afternoon, 28 August, at the Fanwelt with current Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and official club legend Paulo Sergio.
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The Bundesliga is back. On Saturday 29 August (kick-off: 15:30 CEST), the Werkself are away to SV 07 Elversberg on matchday 1 of the new season. Ahead of the clash at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, head coach Carles Martínez spoke, amongst other things, about the importance of a successful start and the motivation of the league newcomers from the Saarland.
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On Friday afternoon, it will be decided which eight of the 36 participating teams Bayer 04 will face in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League in 2026/27. At the draw in Monaco (live on UEFA.com), the Werkself will be drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, allocated according to the UEFA club coefficient. A match against an opponent from the same country is ruled out, as is facing more than two clubs from the same national association. Here’s a look at the pots and potential opponents.
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After six and a half years, Exequiel Palacios is leaving the Bundesliga and moving from Bayer 04 to the Premier League. The Argentine, who as a Werkself player won the World Cup with his national team four years ago and finished as runners-up at this summer’s tournament, will play for newly promoted English side Ipswich Town with immediate effect. The 27-year-old, whose contract in Leverkusen was due to run until 30 June 2030, joined Bayer 04 in January 2020 as a promising young talent. He steadily developed into one of the best defensive midfielders in the German top flight.
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