Bayer 04 extend contract with U23 international Estrella Merino Gonzalez

"Estrella has already become a valuable part of the team as a very young player. Above all, her versatility and flexibility make her strong," said Achim Feifel, Bayer 04 Women sporting director: "After her retraining as a full-back, she is becoming more and more consistent and at the same time strengthens our attack with her dynamism. We are delighted she has decided to take the next steps in her development with us, both on and off the pitch, so that she can take on even more responsibility in the future."

Merino Gonzalez, who signed her first professional contract in 2023, progressed through the junior teams from U13 to U17. In the 2022/23 season, she led the U17s to the B Junior Bundesliga title as a striker. She has played 64 matches (scored three goals) for the first team. In the current campaign, the 19-year-old, originally trained as a forward, has started 16 Bundesliga matches at full-back. In October, Merino Gonzalez was honoured by the German Football Association (DFB) with the Fritz Walter Silver in the U19 category. She has scored 16 goals in 42 international matches for the Germany youth teams from the U16s to the U23s. Most recently, Merino Gonzalez was also on call for the senior national team.

“I can see how the women's section at Bayer 04 is developing more and more - and I'm developing as a player too,” says Merino Gonzalez: “for the next step, I don't just want to improve on the pitch, but also move forward and grow into a leadership role. Together, we want to become even more consistent and aim for third place.”