Simon Rolfes described the new signing as "a type of player we've looked for to strengthen our squad." According to the Bayer 04 sporting managing director, Hofmann brings a wealth of experience to Leverkusen in addition to his vision and technical ability. He's gathered that over more than ten years in professional football primarily at Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Born in Heidelberg, Jonas Hofmann left FC Rot to join the youth section at TSG Hoffenheim at the age of 12. He wnr on to win the Germany U19 cup competition with TSG. He moved up to the senior squad in 2011 and then on to Borussia Dortmund. His way to the first team at BVB came via the Reserves, who he won the Regional League with and gained promotion to the third division. Hofmann made his Bundesliga debut in December 2012 under Jürgen Klopp in a 3-1 win against his former club Hoffenheim. He initially carried on playing in the third division with the second team.
The 5' 9" midfielder became a settled member of the Dortmund first team squad in the following season. Hofmann made 26 Bundesliga appearances and played in eight games in the Champions League in the 2013/14 campaign. The following season he went out on loan to Mainz 05. After another six months in Dortmund, Hofmann moved on to Borussia Mönchengladbach in January 2016 – and he went on to make his debut for Germany in that time.
In his seven years on the Lower Rhine, the now 30-year-old clocked up 184 Bundesliga appearances. He scored 40 goals and provided 40 assists. Hofmann also played for the Foals in the Champions League and the Europa League.
In 2020, he impressed the then Germany coach Joachim Löw who called him up to his squad for a friendly against Turkey and he went on to make his debut in a Germany shirt. That was followed by further appearances including in the UEFA Nations League and the World Cup qualifiers. Hofmann was selected for his first big tournament the following year: He played in two of the three group matches in the World Cup finals in Qatar
A few weeks ago the midfielder played for Germany in two friendlies in preparation for next years Euros in Germany. Jonas will now focus on the challenges at his new club in the coming season: "I'm really looking forward to this next chapter."
Former Bundesliga and Germany keeper Manfred Manglitz, who was promoted to the Oberliga West with Bayer 04 in 1962, passed away on Monday at the age of 86.
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Justine Brandau and Lobke Loonen joined the Bayer 04 Women’s squad in quick succession this summer. The two Dutch players have been friends since their youth days, and are now playing for the same club for the first time. In an interview at the training camp in Rieden, Brandau and Loonen talk, amongst other things, about their experiences as opponents in the Vrouwen Eredivisie, the dynamic within their new team and their first few weeks in Leverkusen.
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The Werkself fixture list for the 2026/27 season in the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga has been finalised. To kick off the season, coach Roberto Pätzold’s team travel to RB Leipzig between 21 and 24 August. The fixtures were announced by the German Football Association (DFB) on Thursday morning. The season will conclude with a home match on 23 May 2027 against newly promoted side Mainz 05.
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On Wednesday evening, Monheim City Council voted against a planning resolution for the Bayer 04 Campus on Alfred-Nobel-Straße in Monheim in a secret ballot, with 19 votes in favour, 25 against and one abstention. The legal status of the project therefore remains unchanged.
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