Heiko Herrlich has opted not to have a training camp and instead will prepare his team for the second half of the season in Leverkusen – training restarts on Tuesday, 2 January 2018 (15.30 CET) with an open session.
Two friendlies have been arranged before Bayer 04 open the second half of the Bundesliga campaign when Bayern Munich visit the BayArena on Friday 12 January (20.30 CET). Second division SpVgg Greuther Fürth are the visitors at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on 5 January (14.00 CET). That could see a reunion with former Bayer 04 player Roberto Hilbert who is now under contract at the Bavarian club. The Werkself have another friendly a day later on 6 January – this time against third division Preußen Münster (14.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium).
Bayer 04 are also planning another two friendlies in January to be fully prepared for the 2017/18 campaign run-in: The day after the game against Bayern, the Werkself will play third division Sportfreunde Lotte (13 January, 11.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium) – the club that caused an upset last season when knocked Bayer 04 out of the DFB Cup. Three days after the league match at TSG Hoffenheim (20 January), the Werkself take on Regional League outfit Rot-Weiß Oberhausen (23 January, 11.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium) in the fourth friendly in January.
Tuesday 2 January: Training restarts (15. 30 CET)
Friday 5 January: Friendly against SpVgg Greuther Fürth (14 .00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium)
Saturday 6 January: Friendly against Preußen Münster (14.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium)
Friday 12 January: Second half of season opener against Bayern Munich (20.30 CET, BayArena)
Saturday 13 January: Friendly against SF Lotte (11.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium)
Saturday 20 January: Bundesliga fixture at TSG Hoffenheim (15.30 CET, Rhein Neckar Arena)
Tuesday 23 January: Friendly against RW Oberhausen (11.00 CET, Ulrich Haberland Stadium)
Sunday 28 January: Bundesliga fixture against Mainz 05 (15.30 CET, BayArena)
Midfielder Ruby Grant is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and joining Portuguese runners-up Sporting CP a year before her contract expires. The 24-year-old has been at the Werkself since January 2025.
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Bayer 04 have loaned Brazilian full-back Arthur to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen for one year. Arthur Augusto de Matos Soares – the full name of the right-back – has a contract with Leverkusen until 30 June 2031. At Werder, the 23-year-old is expected to make an impact and help the long-established club further consolidate their position in the Bundesliga.
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Bayer 04 have loaned defender Jeanuel Belocian to Spanish top-flight side Racing Santander. The 21-year-old defender joins the team currently ninth in La Liga until the end of the current 2026/27 season. Belocian’s contract remains valid until 30 June 2029. Last season, the 1.86-metre-tall U21 international was loaned to VfL Wolfsburg for six months.
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He knows the dressing room, the pitch and the club. But, above all, he knows the feeling of playing for the Werkself at the BayArena: Moussa Diaby is back in Leverkusen after three years. The lightning-fast winger has signed a contract with Bayer 04 until 2031 and he will once again wear the number 19 jersey. The left-footed player previously played for the club from 2019 to 2023, having arrived in the Rhineland from his native France as a promising young talent and eventually leaving the club – having established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s best attackers – to join Aston Villa in the Premier League. Now he has returned to Bayer 04 from Al-Ittihad FC in Saudi Arabia.
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