The 16-year-old goalkeeper Roy Steur leaves the prestigious youth section at Ajax after six years and is now part of the Bayer 04 U19 squad. The two 15-year-old offensive players Jordan Zirkzee, brother of the FC Bayern striker Joshua Zirkzee, and Abdul Sesay will be on the hunt for goals with the Leverkusen U17s. Steur and Sesay have already made a number of international appearances for the Netherlands at youth level, Zirkzee has also attended several sessions organised by the Netherlands youth teams. His first youth international appearances fell victim to the coronavirus pandemic and the associated cancellation of matches.
"We are happy to have brought in such ambitious and talented youth players," said Thomas Eichin, head of the Performance Centre at Bayer 04. Bernd Korzynietz, head of youth scouting, talks about three players, "where we have not only succeeded in bringing in a wealth of talent. They also give us a boost on a personal level. Bayer 04 Leverkusen not only has a great reputation within Germany but also abroad as the signatures of these players demonstrate."
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.
Show more
When Exequiel Palacios moved from the Argentinian club River Plate to Bayer Leverkusen on 1 January 2020, the then 21-year-old could not have imagined just how successful the next six and a half years would be for him. Pala, as he is known, had already won the Copa Libertadores – the most prestigious competition in South American club football – with River Plate. But there were still so many more trophies to come.
Show more
To mark Exequiel Palacios’s departure, we’ve put together a compilation of the midfielder’s finest and most important goals from his six-and-a-half years at the club.
Show more
Newly promoted SV 07 Elversberg will begin the 2026/27 season as Bundesliga club number 59. The Saarland club start their first Bundesliga campaign at home to the Werkself on Saturday, 29 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST) at the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde, which is currently being rebuilt. For one Leverkusen player in the ‘Elv’ line-up, the clash will be a special reunion. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Ernest Poku is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen to play in the Turkish Süper Lig. The club has loaned the Dutch winger to Beşiktaş for one year. If certain criteria are met, the Istanbul club – who finished fourth in the Turkish top flight last season – will be obliged to make the move permanent.
Show more
