U19 transfers: Johnen to Division 3, trio in the Regional League

With the end of the 2020/21 season, six players from the Bayer 04 U19 squad are leaving the club. While two of them are continuing at the U19 level, a Black and Red quartet are moving on from youth football.

The U19 first choice goalkeeper Marcel Johnen has collected a wealth of experience in training over recent months. Alongside Lukas Hradecky, Lennart Grill and Niklas Lomb, the 18-year-old regularly took part in sessions with the Werkself senior squad. In the coming season, Johnen will be between the sticks for third division FC Saarbrücken. If all works out well then he should make his first professional appearances in Saarland.

FCS sporting director Jürgen Luginger, himself a former player at Bayer 04 (1986/87), said in relation to the new signing from Leverkusen: "With Marcel we are bringing in a talented goalkeeper who we hope to develop as a professional over the next two years. He's really good on the ball."

Determann to Lotte, Fünger to Fortuna

Johnen's current U19 teammate Niklas Determann is going into the Regional League West. The midfielder is joining Sportfreunde Lotte. Seymour Fünger (Fortuna Köln) and left-back Phil Kemper (Borussia Mönchengladbach U23s) will be in the same league next season.

Luca Wesemann (Alemannia Aachen U19) and Amin Haj-Yahya (FC Nürnberg U19) will spend another season at the same youth level playing in the U19 Bundesliga West or South/South-west respectively.

Confirmed U19 transfers:

Marcel Johnen (FC Saarbrücken)

Niklas Determann (Sportfreunde Lotte)

Seymour Fünger (SC Fortuna Köln)

Phil Kemper (Borussia Mönchengladbach U23)

Luca Wesemann (Alemannia Aachen U19)

Amin Haj-Yahya (FC Nürnberg U19)