Rayan Zidane linked with Leverkusen first-team move after U19 breakthrough

Algerian-German midfielder Rayan Zidane is reportedly being linked with a move from Leverkusen U19 to Bundesliga club Leverkusen.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder joined the club’s under-19 side from Leverkusen U17 on 1 July 2026, and the rumour points to a possible step into the senior set-up at the same club. No transfer fee or probability has been reported.

Zidane has made three appearances in the U19 Nachwuchsliga this season, playing 85 minutes, while also featuring twice in the DFB-Pokal der Junioren. He scored once in the junior cup, with 75 minutes recorded across those matches.

His current campaign has so far included three league outings without a goal or assist, while he has featured from the start in one-third of his junior cup appearances. The figures come during his first season with Leverkusen’s under-19 team after progressing from the club’s youth structure.

Zidane’s current contract runs until 30 June 2028, leaving Leverkusen with the player tied to the club beyond the present season. The reported move therefore concerns an internal progression from the academy pathway to the Bundesliga squad rather than a transfer between separate clubs.