"Moussa Diaby has developed into a fantastic player in his time at Bayer 04," declared sporting managing director Simon Rolfes. "The professionalism and determination, he showed every day in pursuing his career, was really exceptional. Moussa has made his mark on our team in recent years with his unique style of play and incredible pace. With a special style of play, he's a person who has his heart in the right place. We will follow his future closely and wish him great success," said Rolfes.
Diaby scored 49 goals and provided 48 assists for the Werkself in 173 appearances. For the 24-year-old, Bayer 04 Leverkusen is "a really special club. I received so much support and time on the pitch as a very young player that I could become what I am today. Without Bayer 04 and all the teammates and colleagues, who have always supported me, it might not have happened so quickly," said Diaby. "Now I want to take the next step and start a new chapter. I will always be happy and grateful thinking back to my time in Leverkusen."
In mid-August, the Werkself will set off on a four-day trip to England to play their final two friendly matches of the 2026/27 pre-season against Premier League clubs Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. The match in Nottingham against the Tricky Trees is on Wednesday 12 August at 20:45 CEST (19:45 BST) at the City Ground. The game against the Magpies in Newcastle is on Saturday 15 August at 16:00 CEST (15:00 BST) at the atmospheric St James’ Park. Details on ticket sales for both matches.
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Black and Red talent development at the highest level – even off the pitch: Apprentices Jule Suermann, Leandra Bellia and Julia Niederheide have successfully completed their two- or three-year apprenticeships at the club. Bayer 04 honoured the trio at the BayArena on Tuesday.
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Following the summer break, most of the players are back in Leverkusen. While two Bayer 04 first-team players are still in action at the World Cup, the players present officially kicked off the new season with fitness assessments. At the Werkstatt, the Bayer 04 rehabilitation and training centre, Robert Andrich, Edmond Tapsoba and the rest of the squad worked up quite a sweat in the sweltering summer heat. New signings Afonso Moreira and Kennet Eichhorn also successfully completed the day’s sessions alongside their new team-mates.
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The Werkself return tomorrow, Tuesday 14 July (from 11:00 CEST at the BayArena; live stream on bayer04.de, the Bayer 04 app and YouTube), with new head coach Carles Martínez leading his first training session as part of the Bayer 04 set-up. His coaching team comprises a mix of new and long-standing colleagues.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico is underway. A total of eight Leverkusen players are taking part in the 23rd World Cup, with 48 teams in the tournament for the first time. Bayer04.de brings you all the latest from Werkself players at the World Cup.
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