
“After a total of 16 eventful and memorable, very demanding and always exciting years at Bayer 04, I will now pursue my career in a different direction,” said Simon Pallmann. “I’m looking forward to new and exciting projects and challenges. Even though I have consciously taken this step, it is very difficult to say goodbye to Bayer 04,” declared the graduate business administrator. “I wish the club and its staff all the very best.”
Fernando Carro, chairman of the board: “On behalf of Bayer 04, I’d like to say a big thank you to Simon Pallmann for all his work. Mr Pallmann has worked for our club over a long period with great professionalism. With his expertise, he has played a big part in Bayer 04 today being a recognised and reliable entity in the football business at home and abroad. I wish him every success for the future.”
For sporting managing director Rudi Völler, Pallmann has, “always been a reliable and loyal representative of our club in all the years we’ve worked together. Simon is particularly at home on the stage of international football,” said Völler. “He represented us brilliantly with his organisational responsibilities at a lot of games in the Champions League and Europa League and he was always a reliable partner of the clubs and associations both in Europe and in the Bundesliga. I wish Simon all the best and I’m sure he will be very successful in the future.”


A simple approach to sport with games, fun and a highlight at the end: Bayer 04 organised a very special training session for 40 participants aged between six and 27 in cooperation with the Football Association of the Middle Rhine (FVM). At the day of action for women and girls with disabilities at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre, many of the participants gained their first experience of football.
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On Saturday, 28 March, the lights will go out again at the BayArena from 20:30 pm to 21:30. As in previous years, Bayer 04 once again take part in the WWF Earth Hour campaign under the motto "We're switching off" as the club wants to set a collective example for more climate and environmental protection together with people, cities and companies around the world.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen are bringing back Kerim Alajbegovic, who joined Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2025. The Bundesliga club activated the buy-back option in the contract with the Bosnia international, who has enjoyed great success at the Austrian top-flight club since the start of the current season. Alajbegovic moved to Salzburg from the Leverkusen U19s last year. The 1.86-metre forward has signed a five-year contract at Leverkusen with a start date of 1 July 2026.
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Less than a year ago, Kerim Alajbegovic moved from the Bayer 04 U19s to Austrian top-flight club FC Red Bull Salzburg. The forward’s development since then has been impressive. In 36 matches, including in the UEFA Europa League, the 18-year-old has scored 14 goals. In the summer, Alajbegovic, now a Bosnia international, will return to Leverkusen - and thus not only achieve the next milestone still early in his career, but also enrich the Werkself squad with his footballing versatility and determination.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended the contract with forward Nathan Tella ahead of schedule. The versatile 26-year-old, who can be deployed as a right winger, false nine or left winger, has penned a new contract to 30 June 2031. Tella joined the Werkself from Championship club Southampton in 2023. His previous contract ran to the summer of 2028.
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