Arfaoui made a significant contribution to Servette FCCF winning the Swiss Women's Super League last season with six goals and seven assists. The 21-year-old also made her debut in the Women's Champions League last term; since last year she has also been in the Switzerland squad alongside Bayer 04 player Lara Marti.
"My visit to Leverkusen, the meeting with the management and the professional set-up at Bayer 04 persuaded me straightaway. Signing here means a new and important step for me in my development," said Arfaoui. "The progress of the club in the Bundesliga is incredibly promising. I'm looking forward to this new challenge."
Head coach Achim Feifel sees the international as "a very promising offensive player" and is certain "she can liven up our game going forward with her creative potential."
In addition, Bayer 04 have extended the contract with Jessica Wich. The 30-year-old has played at Leverkusen since the 2014/15 season and is now set to start her eighth campaign in Black and Red.
The captain, currently in rehab at the Werkstatt at the BayArena due to a knee injury, is looking forward "to another year with Bayer 04" and hopes, "to be able to support the young team with my experience both on and off the pitch."
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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