Football Season Guide

Bundesliga

Germany

Bundesliga

2026/2027

Bayer Leverkusen

In

Afonso Moreira(mid) (Lyon); Miguel Gutiérrez(def) (Napoli); Facundo Medina(def) (Marseille); Kennet Eichhorn(mid) (Hertha Berlin); Kerim Alajbegovic(mid) (RB Salzburg); Luca Erlein(def) (Hoffenheim); Ndjicoura Bomba(att) (CS Bamako); Piero Hincapie(def) (Arsenal - End of Loan); Jeanuel Belocian(def) (Wolfsburg - End of Loan); Francis Onyeka(mid) (Bochum - End of Loan); Matej Kovar(gk) (PSV Eindhoven - End of Loan); Victor Boniface(att) (Werder Bremen - End of Loan); Abdoulaye Faye(def) (FC Lorient - End of Loan); Farid Alfa-Ruprecht(mid) (Bochum - End of Loan); Noah Mbamba(mid) (FCV Dender EH - End of Loan); Alejo Sarco(att) (Borussia Monchengladbach - End of Loan)

Out

Kerim Alajbegovic(mid) (Juventus); Piero Hincapie(def) (Arsenal); Alejandro Grimaldo(r)(def) (Atletico Madrid); Matej Kovar(gk) (PSV Eindhoven); Alejo Sarco(att) (Sporting Gijon); Francis Onyeka(mid) (SV Elversberg - Loan); Noah Mbamba(mid) (FC Lorient - Loan); Abdoulaye Faye(def) (Celta Vigo - Loan); Farid Alfa-Ruprecht(mid) (Hertha Berlin - Loan); Luca Erlein(def) (Energie Cottbus - Loan); Issa Traore(def) (AS Trencin - Loan); Jonas Omlin(gk) (Borussia Monchengladbach - End of Loan)

A disappointing campaign for Bayer Leverkusen last season as they finished sixth in the league table, three points behind Champions League qualification spots that was the minimum expectation heading into the season. The club had lost a number of key figures last summer, including coach Xabi Alonso while his replacement Erik Ten Hag lasted for just three games before being sacked. Kasper Hjulmand was given charge of the team but Bayer failed to convince under the Dane who was let go at the end of the season. Toulouse coach Carles Martinez Novell has since been appointed as the permanent coach heading into the season. Bayer have managed to retain almost all of their key players from last season with Alejandro Grimaldo the only big name departure after being sold to Atletico Madrid. Piero Hincapie's loan at Arsenal has been converted into a permanent move while Matej Kovar has also been moved on. Bayer triggered their buy back option for winger Kerim Alajbegovic at RB Salzburg before selling him on for a hefty profit to Juventus. Bayer have reinvested all of their sales into new arrivals with Miguel Gutiérrez signed from Napoli as Grimaldo's replacement while Facundo Medina and Luca Erlein will also boost their options in the defence. Afonso Moreira has been their biggest outlay in the summer so far with the winger arriving from Lyon and is expected to be a threat in the attack while Kennet Eichhorn is a highly rated youngster but at just 16 years of age, he is viewed more as a prospect for the future. Bayer head into the new season with good depth to their squad especially in the attack and the defence. However Grimaldo's departure is a significant one with the fullback their best creator with 12 assists in all competitions while also chipping in with 14 goals. Martinez also represents a gamble for Bayer with the Spanish coach having the experience of managing just one team in Toulouse, though he did have a good record with the French club.

Target

Expectation remains qualification to the Champions League and Bayer does have the necessary quality to be in and around the top four though they are unlikely to pose any threat to the top two spots.