News in brief: Newcomer trio train
The final winter signing for the Werkself has joined the squad after completing self-isolation, Santiago Arias is back, and a Bayer 04 legend celebrates his birthday. Today's news in brief...
All three of the Bayer 04 winter signings are now well and truly at Bayer 04. While Timothy Fosu-Mensah can already look back at two starts and a substitute appearance for the Werkself, Jeremie Frimpong made his debut for Leverkusen on Tuesday night in the DFB Cup game in Essen. We congratulate the 20-year-old Dutchman on his first game for the Werkself. Following his period of self-isolation, Demarai Gray joined his new teammates on Thursday and completed his first training session in Leverkusen.
Gray and Frimpong went in front of the cameras after the training session. Official photos were taken in both the black home and the red away kits – for autograph cards, for bayer04.de, graphics etc. Here's a little taster:
Arias back in Leverkusen
Santiago Arias is back in Leverkusen. The Colombian, who arrived on loan from Atlético Madrid in the summer, returned to Germany at the start of the week and has been working on his comeback in the 'Werkstatt' at the BayArena since Wednesday. After the bad fractured fibula he suffered in the international against Venezuela in October, Arias underwent an operation in Madrid and started his rehab there. Two screws had to be removed from his leg recently and now the 29-year-old can fully focus on a hopefully rapid return to the pitch.
Schreier is 62
A former Bayer 04 player with legend status celebrates his 62nd birthday on this Thursday: many happy returns to Christian Schreier. Stay fit and healthy. The striker played for the Werkself from 1984 to 1991 and he was one of the heroes from the UEFA Cup triumph in 1988.
Related News
Bayer 04 - 13.01.2026
Tapsoba sidelined by muscle injury
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without centre-back Edmond Tapsoba in the coming weeks. The Burkina Faso international returned to the Werkself from the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with a muscle injury.
Show more
Werkself-TV - 12.01.2026
Hjulmand ahead of #HSVB04: ‘Don't panic, stay calm and optimistic’
The Werkself are away to Hamburg SV at the end of the Hinrunde in the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign. The match at the newly promoted club is on Tuesday night, 13 January (kick-off: 20:30 CET). Ahead of the first encounter with HSV since 2018, Kasper Hjulmand spoke about the strengths of the opponents, lessons learnt from the home defeat against VfB Stuttgart and provided a squad update.
Show more
Women - 11.01.2026
Algarve sunshine instead of sub-zero temperatures: Bayer 04 Women start winter training camp
In Germany, the temperatures are currently around zero, leaving even professional footballers freezing - but not the Bayer 04 Women. Roberto Pätzold's team have fled the cold to the south and are preparing for the second half of the season at a training camp in the Algarve, almost 2,000 kilometres away from home as the crow flies. The Leverkusen squad landed in Faro on Saturday morning and have already completed the first three training sessions over the weekend.
Show more
Bundesliga - 11.01.2026
Werkself review #B04VfB: Honest words and looking ahead
It was a disappointing Saturday night. The Werkself lost 4-1 to VfB Stuttgart to start the new year on Bundesliga matchday 16 in 2025/26, a result that left both players and fans disappointed. "We played without any passion," said Alejandro Grimaldo honestly afterwards. Teammate Jarell Quansah was even more self-critical, emphasising: "We were miles off it in the first half. You can't put in a performance like that, especially in front of our own fans and I can only apologise to them, to be honest." Read on for the reaction, facts and stats from the clash with VfB Stuttgart in the Werkself review.
Show more
