Back
23.08.2016Bayer 04

Bayer 04 sign Dragovic from Dynamo Kyiv

Bayer 04 have signed central defender Aleksandar Dragovic. The Austria international joins Leverkusen from Ukrainian giants Dynamo Kyiv with the 25-year-old agreeing a five-year contract to 30 June 2021.
© Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH

“Kyiv was the right and important club for me but now I’m attracted to the Bundesliga as one of the best leagues in the world,” said Dragovic. “It’s fantastic that I’ve been able join Bayer 04 as one of the top clubs in Germany and a Champions League side as well as playing alongside my international team-mates Julian Baumgartlinger and Ramazan Özcan.”

Bayer 04 CEO Michael Schade: “We set out to, and have achieved our target of keeping our squad together and strengthening it in certain areas. With Kevin Volland and Julian Baumgartlinger up front and in midfield we succeeded early on and now we’ve strengthened our defence with the addition of Aleksandar Dragovic. We’re happy our patience in this particularly difficult personnel matter has paid off. It wasn’t easy so we’re even happier it’s all worked out.”

Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler sees the signing as a further “important component in making our team competitive in Germany and in Europe. We are ambitious in all competitions,” declared Völler. “With Aleksandar Dragovic we are gaining another very experienced central defender. He has great quality and he is an addition for us in this position.”

© Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH

Related News

Rudi Vollborn
Bayer 04 - 01.02.2026

Rudi recounts…: Vollborn’s February highlights

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 more
Kasper Hjulmand
Bayer 04 - 31.01.2026

Hjulmand: ‘Football is a reflection of life’ | Werkself-Magazin #54

Kasper Hjulmand has led the Werkself back to winning ways and is back in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League with Bayer 04 after the 3-0 win against Villarreal on Wednesday evening. In an interview with the Werkself magazine at the BayArena in the team meeting room, directly opposite the dressing room, he provided some special insights for the current issue, which was published in January. A conversation with the 53-year-old coach about values, attitudes and personal experiences as well as interests outside of football.

Show more
Kurzpässe vor #SGEB04
Bundesliga - 31.01.2026

Matchday news #SGEB04: Extend longest winning run - Eintracht with interim coaches

The thrilling 3-1 win for Bayer 04 against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Hinrunde is a fond memory for Alejandro Grimaldo, with his brace from free kicks, and coach Kasper Hjulmand, who was in the dugout under the Cross for the first time. Now comes the return fixture in the metropolis on the River Main and after going out of the DFB Pokal and the Champions League, the full focus at Eintracht, currently managed by two interim coaches, is now on the Bundesliga. For their part, the Werkself will do everything in their power to continue the longest winning run against a Bundesliga club. The matchday news.

Show more
Artem Stepanov
Bayer 04 - 30.01.2026

Artem Stepanov recalled from Nürnberg and loaned to Utrecht

Bayer 04 have ended Artem Stepanov’s loan deal at Nürnberg and agreed a new loan to Utrecht in the Netherlands. The Ukrainian striker did not play as much as hoped for at the Bundesliga 2 club and will now continue his development in the Eredivisie for the rest of 2025/26.

Show more
B04_SoundOfDreams_Playoffs_16x9_DE.jpg
Champions League - 30.01.2026

Bayer 04 to face Olympiacos in UEFA Champions League play-offs

The draw for the knockout play-offs of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League was made on Friday, 30 January and saw Bayer 04 paired with Olympiacos. It’s a reunion with the Greek side following the Werkself’s 2-0 loss in Athens on Matchday 7 of the league phase.

Show more