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."
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)
Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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Bayer 04 are away to third-division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the 2026/27 DFB Pokal. That was the outcome of the draw on Saturday night, 6 June, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The Werkself first round tie will be played between 21 and 24 August. The exact date has yet to be finalised.
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Carles Martìnez is raring to go. The 42-year-old speaks in his first interview in Leverkusen about the club's development to date and how he wants to build on it. He describes his previous work in France, Kuwait, Qatar and his native Barcelona, his experience in developing young players, and the key steps between now and the start of pre-season training.
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New Bayer 04 head coach Carles Martínez has arrived in Leverkusen! At midday on Friday, the 42-year-old spoke in a press conference at the BayArena about his philosophy and his aims. Managing director sport Simon Rolfes also discussed the reasons for appointing the former Toulouse boss.
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