With a total of 20.8% (52 votes), Havertz narrowly beat the winners from the first half of the season Marco Reus (20%) and Jadon Sancho (14.8%) from league rivals Borussia Dortmund. "Six months ago, the now 20-year-old Leverkusen player was amongst the also-rans but a brilliant second half of the season has seen him overtake the more experienced Dortmund players," was the view of the kicker. Furthermore: "The victory for Havertz and the next generation (Reus was 30 a few days ago making him ten years older) was underlined by his stats: The attacking midfielder and inspirational force in the side netted 11 of his 17 goals in the second half of the season."
Under the heading of 'High flyer of the season', the most successful goalscorer of the Werkself (18%) was in second place behind the 19-year-old Dortmund player Sancho (30.4%) and ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt Luka Jovic (17.6%). "The rise of Havertz, now voted best player, was clearly not primarily associated with the previous season. The Leverkusen player made his league debut at the age of 17 back on 25 October 2016 in the 2-1 defeat at Bremen," declared the kicker.
The Werkself head coach Peter Bosz (5.6%) was the fourth highest response to the kicker request to name the top coach. That puts the 55-year-old behind Adi Hütter (Eintracht Frankfurt, 40.4%), Friedhelm Funkel (Fortuna Düsseldorf, 16.8%) and Florian Kohfeld (Werder Bremen, 12%).
The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned new signing Luca Erlein to newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus for the 2026/27 season. This will give him the opportunity to play in Bundesliga 2. The club signed the 19-year-old right-back on a permanent basis last week, on a contract to 30 June 2030.
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Werkself TV shows the highlights of the 3-1 victory in the friendly match at Kickers Offenbach...
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It’s always nice having your best friends round for a birthday! Bayer 04 made a guest appearance at Stadion am Bieberer Berg as part of Offenbacher Kickers’ 125th anniversary celebrations, and nearly 1,500 Werkself supporters accepted the invitation to this historic venue, joining the Offenbach crowd in celebrating the more than 45-year friendship between the clubs. On the pitch, the Werkself secured a 3–1 victory in the friendly against the fourth-tier Regionalliga side. The Leverkusen goals were scored by Christian Kofane (38’), Jonas Hofmann (48’) and Afonso Moreira (81’). Keanu Staude had put the hosts ahead in the first half (11’).
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