
“Francis Onyeka is a child of the club and Bayer 04 through and through. That makes me even happier to see his outstanding development, ” said sporting managing director Simon Rolfes. “We are firmly convinced Francis will continue to have a successful career with us.”
Onyeka started playing for the Bayer 04 junior sides from the age of seven. The Gummersbach-born player, who joined Leverkusen from SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind, scored three goals for the Germany U17 team in the autumn in three Euro qualifiers.
Onyeka has found the back of the net six times in six games in the U17 Bundesliga West. The talented youngster has also made nine appearances in the U19 Bundesliga West (2 goals). The Germany youth player also trains with Werkself on a regular basis and is registered for UEFA Europa League.
“Bayer 04 is exactly right club for me,” said Onyeka. “The set-up is ideal, the support is brilliant. I see the opportunity of becoming a successful professional footballer here.“

Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.
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Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
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Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
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When Afonso Moreira arrived for his interview with bayer04.de, he had to take a deep breath first. Asked how the morning session had gone, the 21-year-old replied with a slight smile: “Tough. Intense.” That’s really sums up the workload for the Werkself so far at the training camp in the Weimarer Land region. Head coach Carles Martínez and his team demand hard work, team spirit and the determination to improve every day. Those are values Moreira wholeheartedly identifies with – and the Portuguese player has not only taken them to heart, but also permanently noted in the form of a tattoo.
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