Back
12.08.2016Bayer 04

Pro contract for Kai Havertz

What a week for Kai Havertz: The DFB announced on Monday that the 17-year-old Bayer 04 talent had won a silver Fritz Walter medal and now the midfielder has penned a long-term contract with the Werkself.
© Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH

“We're happy that Kai Havertz is the next homegrown player to make a long-term commitment to the club. It underlines our ambition to bring more and more talented youngsters through to the first team,” declared sporting director Rudi Völler.

Havertz, who previously played for Alemannia Mariadorf (to 2008) and Alemannia Aachen (2008-2010), joined Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2010. Here, he became a Germany Under 17 international and this year he won the Germany Under 17 league title. “Along with Atakan Akkaynak and Sam Schreck, Kai joined us at the training camp in Austria and and he had great fun out there. He looked relaxed and showed he has great potential. If his development continues at the same pace then he will a brilliant addition to our squad,” added Völler.

© Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fussball GmbH

Related News

Bayer 04-eSportler Sean Landwehr
eSports - 11.11.2026

#B04eSports: In-person round missed again

It was another incredibly close call in the end: The second showdown in the 2026/27 VBL Club Championship saw the #B04eSports team once again narrowly miss out on a place in the top 16 of the preliminary round – and with it, a spot in the in-person knockout stage. It was a bitter blow: Marc and Sean Landwehr again fell just short, despite being level on points with their rivals. As was the case last month, their weaker record across the twelve individual matches in the six preliminary round fixtures proved decisive.

Show more
Werkself bejubelt Derbysieg
Bundesliga - 09.11.2026

Werkself review: A treat for the fans

“They stuck with us over the past few weeks when things weren’t going so well,” said captain Edmond Tapsoba, thanking the fans for their support after the 2–1 win in Cologne and dedicating the derby victory to them. Throughout the 90 minutes, the Werkself had looked unfazed and in command, inflicting the first home defeat of the season on FC Köln. It was the sixth consecutive win against the Cologne team for Bayer 04 – head coach Carles Martínez, on the other hand, was facing the team from the neighbouring city for the first time and “now really knows what this derby win means”. The Werkself derby review.

Show more
Tapsoba, Garcia & Tillman | Stimmen nach dem Derbysieg in Köln | Bundesliga, 9. Spieltag
Werkself-TV - 08.11.2026

Tapsoba after derby victory: ‘Giving the fans this win is the least we can do to repay them’

Following the 2–1 derby victory away at FC Köln on Bundesliga matchday 9, Edmond Tapsoba, Malik Tillman and Aleix Garcia spoke to Werkself TV...

Show more
TV highlights of 2-1 derby win in Cologne | 9th matchday
Werkself-TV - 08.11.2026

TV highlights of 2-1 derby win in Cologne

Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 2-1 derby win at 1. FC Köln Matchday 9 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season...

Show more
Werkself beim Torjubel
Bundesliga - 08.11.2026

Werkself win 2-1 in Cologne to claim sixth straight derby win

There were celebrations among those in black and red at the RheinEnergieSTADION. On Matchday 9 of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season, the Werkself beat 1. FC Köln 2-0 and registered their sixth successive win in the derby. Aleix Garcia put Bayer 04 in front after just seven minutes with a direct free kick. Leverkusen played with discipline and energy after that and didn't allow some fierce challenges to unsettle them. Patrik Schick made it 2-0 in the 86th minute, and Said El Mala's goal in stoppage time for Köln proved nothing more than consolation. Jonas Hofmann crowned the derby win with his 100th appearance for the club.

Show more