Erlein, who was born in Heidelberg, moved from the Astoria Walldorf youth section to the Hoffenheim academy in 2018, where he progressed through all the age groups. He won the German U19 Championship and the DFB Junior Cup in 2024, and also made appearances in the UEFA Youth League during the 2024/25 season, including against Manchester City. The next milestone came in early 2025 in the group stage of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League, when the defender made his professional debut in a 4–3 victory over top Belgian club RSC Anderlecht.
Last season, the 1.90-metre-tall Erlein gained further valuable playing experience and featured for TSG's reserves in the third division. In his first three matches, the defender provided three assists.
From a young age, Erlein also made regular appearances for Germany's youth national teams. He made his debut for the U19s in September 2025 against Croatia, and was immediately handed the captain’s armband. Two matches later, the defender also scored his first goal for Germany’s U19s.
At the recently concluded U19 European Championship in Wales, the new Leverkusen signing reached the final alongside Bayer 04 professionals Montrell Culbreath and Francis Onyeka – who is currently on loan at Bundesliga newcomers SV 07 Elversberg – before he and his side were defeated by Spain in the final. Erlein played the full 90 minutes in every match of the tournament.
A group of about 50 members of the Bayer 04 Football Academy São Paulo visited Leverkusen over the past few days, accompanied by Bayer 04 club legend Paulo Sergio and Luiz Felipe (managing director of academy in São Paulo) for a week full of football, encounters and very special insights. In addition to the Bundesliga away game in Elversberg and the home game against Union Berlin, the visit also featured a joint training session with the Bayer 04 Football Academy in Leverkusen and a tour of the Bayer AG facilities. The guests also gained special insights into the club and the world of Bayer 04.
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The men's clothing retailer LERROS will remain the official fashion and premium partner of Bayer 04 for the current season. As in the past, LERROS will provide the club's men's team, coaching staff and management with high-quality clothing for international trips.
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“Diaby! Diaby! Diaby!” was the cry around the BayArena as the Werkself danced in front of the north stand following their 4-0 win over Union Berlin. Captain Edmond Tapsoba gave his new (and old) teammate a friendly shove forward to take in the acclaim from the fans. The returning Frenchman was typically reserved in thanking the supporters but was clearly emotional about what was happening.
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Bayer 04 produced a dominant and impressive 4-0 win over Union Berlin as they picked up three points in their first home game of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. Exequiel Fernández opened the scoring after only 41 seconds, with Facundo Medina doubling the lead before the half-hour mark. Patrik Schick and Ibrahim Maza continued the procession in the second period, in which Moussa Diaby came on for his first Leverkusen appearance for over three years.
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