Loan watch: Half-term report on Leverkusen players away on loan

Francis Onyeka (VfL Bochum 1848): Four braces in ten days

The midfielder, who joined Bayer 04 as a seven-year-old in 2014, made his debut for Bundesliga 2 club VfL Bochum 1848 against FC Schalke 04 (1-2) on matchday 3. The defeat was followed by further games where things did not go smoothly for the Bochum side. As a consequence, VfL sacked Dieter Hecking in October during the second international break of the season after seven defeats in eight games and appointed Uwe Rösler as his successor. Francis Onyeka was playing for the Germany U19s at the time. And the Leverkusen loanee hit the jackpot with the national team: Skipper Onyeka scored a brace in three consecutive qualifiers for Euro 2026 in Wales.

He returned to Bochum in confident mood and the next brace followed promptly against Hertha Berlin (3-2). It was his fourth in just ten days. That was followed a week later on matchday 10 against Holstein Kiel (1-1) by another goal for Onyeka, who had been dropped from the starting XI in mid-September but was now back in the starting line-up. The 18-year-old then went just one game without scoring before netting again against Eintracht Braunschweig (2-0). He also continued his success with Germany: He scored a goal in a friendly against Japan (2-2) in the third international break of the season.

Back in Bochum, he provided an assist in the 3-0 win against SpVgg Greuther Fürth at the end of November. Onyeka and Co. remained unbeaten in the final three matches until the end of the year, following up a weak start to the season with a strong phase that saw them lose just once in nine league games. Who secured a point for VfL in the final clash of the year against Karlsruher SC (2-2)? Francis Onyeka - with a brace, of course! Bochum's top scorer in the league (6) has played 14 times in the last 17 games plus twice in the DFB Pokal. The top has scorer started eleven league games for VfL, who are tenth in Bundesliga 2 going into the winter break.

Farid Alfa-Ruprecht (VfL Bochum 1848): Crucial assist in DFB Pokal

Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, signed from Manchester City's youth set-up, has also been loaned out to Bochum. The offensive player made his first brief appearances in September in the 1-0 defeat to Fortuna Düsseldorf and the 3-2 loss against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He celebrated his first win alongside Onyeka with his aforementioned brace against Hertha Berlin and he made his first starts in the 2-0 wins against FC Magdeburg and Eintracht Braunschweig.

Although the 19-year-old has yet to score in the league, his assist for the winner in the 1-0 DFB Pokal victory against FC Augsburg in October was all the more important. And equally important was his one-off appearance for Bochum's second team in September where he levelled late on in the 2-2 draw with SC Paderborn 07 II in the Regional Liga West. Alfa-Ruprecht, who joined VfL after matchday 4, has regularly featured alongside regular starter Onyeka during Bochum's strong phase up to the end of the year and he has clocked up eleven league appearances to date. He has started in six games.

Artem Stepanov (1. FC Nürnberg): Good things take time

Artem Stepanov - FCN's top scorer in pre-season with an impressive seven goals - made his debut for 1. FC Nürnberg, coached by World Cup winner Miroslav Klose, on matchday 1 against SV 07 Elversberg (0-1). Two weeks later, he made his first appearance in the DFB Pokal scoring the equaliser at 2-2 in the first round tie with FV Illertissen (8-9 on penalties). In September, he then played a match for the FCN second team in the Regional Liga Bayern against Würzburger Kickers and he secured an important point with his goal (1-1).

Back in Klose's squad, Stepanov also scored his first Bundesliga 2 goal in a strong spell for the Nuremberg team, with five wins and just one defeat in eight games, on matchday 12 against Dynamo Dresden. He set up the opener in the 2-1 win against the team from Saxony. The fact he has yet to score is of little concern to Klose: "He's a young player. It's not easy to please me, especially if you're a striker. You also have to remember what the lad has already done right!" Stepanov has so far made 13 appearances in Bundesliga 2 for FC Nürnberg who are eighth at the winter break. He has seven starts to date.

Tim Oermann (Sturm Graz): Lots of experience at top Austrian club

At the end of May, Bayer 04 announced the signing of Tim Oermann from Bochum. After the U21 European Championships in June, where Oermann and his Germany team-mates narrowly beat England in the final up against Werkself player Jarell Quansah, the 22-year-old defender moved to SK Sturm Graz. He immediately became a regular starter for the five-time champions in Austria and he made his debut in a 2-0 win against LASK on matchday 1. At the end of the month, he then contributed an assist in a 3-0 win against Grazer AK.

He has played 13 of the 17 Bundesliga games so far - all from the start. He has only missed out twice. The other two times he was absent due to illness and a knock. Graz are currently third in the table on 28 points. Ahead of them are LASK (29 points) and RB Salzburg (32 points) at the top.

But Oermann has not only been able to gain valuable playing time in the Austrian league. The 1.89 metre tall defender has also played on the European stage. As champions, Graz competed in the qualifiers for the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 in the summer and played two matches against FK Bodø/Glimt. Although Oermann and Co. were unable to prevail in the two games against the champions of Norway, the loan player from Leverkusen will certainly not forget his first goal in the UCL in the second leg.

In the Europa League, in which Graz competed as a result, Oermann has made three appearances so far (all in the starting XI). In Austria’s ÖFB Cup, he was in the starting line-up in all three rounds and helped keep clean sheets in the 4-0 and 2-0 wins. In the new year, Oermann, who has now made 21 appearances in all competitions (including 20 starts), will continue in the ÖFB quarter-finals, the Europa League and the Austrian Bundesliga.

Abdoulaye Faye (FC Lorient): Injury halts regular starter

Abdoulaye Faye, who joined the Werkself from Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken and was loaned directly to French Ligue 1 newcomers FC Lorient, made a decent start to the season at the club from Brittany. After coming on as a substitute in the 4-0 win over FC Stade Rennes on matchday 2, the Senegalese was in the starting eleven for all of the following six league fixtures. This period also included the 3-1 win against AS Monaco, who were top of the table before the start of matchday 6, with former Bayer 04 captain Lukas Hradecky in their line-up. However, the talented 21-year-old defender has been out since October due to injury. Promoted Lorient are currently 17th in Ligue 1.