Martin Terrier's season ends with Achilles rupture, Leverkusen look to youth

The injury occurred during their recent 3-1 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach, forcing Terrier off the pitch early.

An MRI scan conducted revealed the extent of the injury, sidelining the 27-year-old for the rest of the campaign.

"It's a tough blow for Martin and for us as a club. But we will support him wherever we can," said Bayer 04 managing director for sport Simon Rolfes.

He also drew a parallel to another player's recovery, adding, "A similar injury happened to Charles Aranguiz, and he was able to become an absolute top player at Bayer 04 after recovering from injury."

Terrier, who moved to Leverkusen from Stade Rennes last summer, has had a challenging season with injuries, making this latest setback particularly hard.

Meanwhile, in brighter news for Leverkusen, young Ukrainian striker Artem Stepanov has secured his future with the club by signing a contract extension that will keep him at the BayArena beyond 2027.

At just 17 years old, Stepanov has already made a mark, debuting in a 5-0 Champions League rout of RB Salzburg in November.

Simon Rolfes praised the young talent, saying, "Artem Stepanov has developed brilliantly here with us in Leverkusen both in terms of physicality and the football side."

Stepanov himself expressed his ambitions, stating, "I wanted to make my case for a professional career in Germany. I've succeeded in doing that and at an absolutely top club. What I can learn here is of inestimable value.

"I will work hard and fight to get my chances."

As Leverkusen navigate through this season without one of their key players, the focus will be on nurturing young talents like Stepanov to fill the void left by Terrier's absence.

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