Julia Mickenhagen to move to VfB Stuttgart

“Julia progressed through all our youth teams and has developed into a Bundesliga player. We couldn’t promise her the game time she needs for her future personal development,” said Bayer 04 Women sporting director Achim Feifel: “So it’s understandable she's now looking for a new sporting challenge in a new environment. We wish her all the best for the future.”

The U23 international (seven caps) joined Leverkusen in 2018, progressing through the club’s U16, U17 and U23 teams. She's scored four goals in 31 competitive appearances for the Werkself, 20 of which have come this season. In 2024, she represented the Germany U19s at the European Championship in Lithuania.

“My time at Bayer 04 was something very special and had a huge impact on me, both as a player and as a person. For many years, I had the privilege of experiencing countless emotional moments here, meeting wonderful people and growing with the team,” said Mickenhagen: “For me, the club has long been more than just a club – Bayer 04 was my home for a long time. The decision to take on a new challenge was anything but easy for me. Above all, I leave the club with enormous gratitude and will always cherish the time we spent together.”