Sporting director Simon Rolfes sees the long-term deal with Wirtz as "a powerful statement from the club of how we will handle things in the future here at Leverkusen. With top quality players, at the same time capable of development where Bayer 04 has been a highly desirable club for many years. Florian Wirtz is equally a promise for the future as well as a guarantee for sporting success in the present," declared Rolfes. "He's impressive as well as brave and confident in the way he has progressed in professional football up to now. Flo has what it takes to become a top player in the Bundesliga in the next few years and also an important part of the Germany team."
Bayer 04 sporting managing director Rudi Völler is also very happy about the long-term deal with Wirtz. "Not only has he had his first call-up to the Germany squad but Florian has also made fantastic progress over the past year-and-a-half here at Leverkusen," said Völler. "His outstanding talent was obviously apparent and it gave us great hope when we signed him as a 16-year-old. But it was definitely not to be expected that Florian would already be a key player in our first team. Given his youth and the fact he is currently doing his A-levels it is an extraordinary achievement," said Völler. "If Florian continues to develop in the same way then he can be an absolute leader and a key part of our team in the next few years."
The now 18-year-old Florian Wirtz, who has played for the Werkself since January 2020, said he "found everything at Bayer 04 Leverkusen as described and promised. I'm playing for a great club here, one of the best in Germany who I want to be with in the coming years to have a go at the biggest targets," said Wirtz. "I've really been able to improve on the pitch in a great team – that is and remains my aim. With my performances, I want to contribute to us being able to win titles in the near future."
This special event showed once again how strong Bayer 04 are as a team: As part of ‘BarmeniaGothaer gives joy’, the Werkself players Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Christian Kofane supported the sale of individually designed T-shirts for a good cause at the Fanwelt on Thursday. Several hundred fans came to take part in the charity campaign. Leverkusen's main sponsor BarmeniaGothaer donated the proceeds to the Fondation Edmond Tapsoba, which helps people in Tapsoba's home country of Burkina Faso in their challenging everyday lives.
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With three games to play before the end of the season, the Bayer 04 Women can break one record and equal another at SGS Essen. After three wins on the bounce, coach Roberto Pätzold's team are aiming to maintain the chance of third place in Sunday’s away game (14:00 CEST, Stadion an der Hafenstraße).
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From Ouagadougou to Leverkusen – and back: in March, Bayer 04 travelled with Edmond Tapsoba for a special project in his homeland Burkina Faso. The country where his roots and heart lie. The country where he’s more than a world-class defender: a symbol of hope and a role model for an entire generation. The result is a 45-minute documentary about Tapsoba’s long journey from Africa via Portugal to Leverkusen, which offers extraordinary, one-off and emotional insights.
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Edmond Tapsoba has signed an early extension to his contract with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. With two years left on his current deal, the 27-year-old Burkina Faso international has extended his contract until 30 June 2031. The centre-back joined as a young talent from Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes at the start of 2020.
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A special surprise: during the preview for the 'Fierté Burkinabè' documentary about Edmond Tapsoba, Bayer 04 directors Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes announced Tapsoba's contract extension until 2031 together with the centre-back. He then spoke to Werkself-TV about his time in Leverkusen so far and future ambitions...
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