"There will be changes — that is not in question," Rolfes told Sport Bild. "We will let players go and bring new ones in. It is always important to create new competition within the group."
Two arrivals are already confirmed. Kennet Eichhorn, a 16-year-old midfielder, and Afonso Moreira, a 21-year-old winger, have both signed ahead of next season.
Kerim Alajbegović will also return after Bayer Leverkusen triggered their buy-back clause, but his long-term future is far from settled. The 18-year-old Bosnian has attracted serious interest from several European clubs following his performances at the World Cup, and Rolfes is cautious about what happens next.
"The plan is for Kerim to come back to us and show what he can do," he said.
Victor Boniface's situation is more delicate. The 25-year-old striker had an unhappy loan spell at Werder Bremen last season and has since undergone knee surgery. Rolfes says the priority now is getting his physical condition right before any footballing decisions are made.
"The knee looks good today. But his weight is a slight weakness. Our goal is for him to return to top form. Then he has prospects at a great many clubs."
Leverkusen won the Bundesliga in 2023-24 under Xabi Alonso before the Spaniard departed for Real Madrid. New head coach Carles Martínez inherits a squad that remains competitive but will almost certainly look different come the start of the new season.
The Andrich and Fernández situations are the most commercially significant. Both are in their prime years and play central midfield roles that attract premium fees. Any sales would fund further recruitment, and Rolfes's language — measured, non-committal — suggests those decisions have not yet been made.
The next few weeks will clarify whether Leverkusen are in full rebuild mode or simply refining the squad ahead of a new era.