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)
A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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On Monday evening, 8 June, around 250 people came to the Bürgerhaus Baumberg at the invitation of Bayer 04 to find out details of the new plans for the campus on Alfred-Nobel-Straße at an information event. More compact, greener and with many advantages for Monheim am Rhein - those are the aims. There were lively discussions for around three hours and some misunderstandings were cleared up.
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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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When Malik Tillman arrived at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer, he did more than just add attacking midfield strength to the team — he reconnected the club with a unique and understated American lineage that stretches back more than three decades.
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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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