Lara Marti leaves Bayer 04 for RB Leipzig

Marti’s contract in Leverkusen was due to expire this summer. Her transfer is for an undisclosed fee. The defender is the second Switzerland international to leave Bayer 04 this January, after Amira Arfaoui joined Nürnberg.

The 24-year-old first came to Leverkusen from Basel in summer 2020, making 55 competitive appearances for Bayer 04 and scoring one goal. Marti has struggled this season with a thigh injury that has restricted her to only two substitute appearances in the Bundesliga and one in the DFB-Pokal. The left-back was named alongside Arfaoui in the Switzerland squad for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, coming on late in the 5-1 last-16 defeat to eventual champions Spain.

“Lara came to us with the desire for a new challenge,” said Achim Feifel, head of Bayer 04 Women. “We’d like to thank her for her years of commitment to the club and wish her all the best in Leipzig.”