18-year-old midfielder Francis Onyeka has officially joined VfL Bochum 1848 on a long-term loan from Bayer Leverkusen.
The move is intended to provide the highly-rated Nigerian-German talent with regular first-team football.
Onyeka, who developed through Leverkusen’s youth academy after joining in 2014, has already made his professional debut for the club and featured in the UEFA Champions League.
He was also awarded the prestigious Fritz Walter Medal in Gold in 2024, recognizing him as Germany’s best U17 player, and was named among The Guardian’s “Next Generation 2024.”
Born in Gummersbach to Nigerian parents, Onyeka is eligible to represent both Germany and Nigeria at international level. He has appeared for Germany’s U17 and U18 teams.
VfL Bochum, recently relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, aim to use Francis Onyeka as part of their promotion push. Leverkusen’s management emphasized that the loan will help accelerate his development through consistent match experience at senior level.
