Werder Bremen director Frank Baumann admits he did not expect Naby Keita to join even with the former Liverpool midfielder leaving the Premier League giants on free transfer.
But as Baumann himself points out, this is not the first time Werder Bremen have taken the market by surprise. Few would have expected to see Max Kruse, Davy Klaassen or Serge Gnabry arrive at the Weser Stadium, after all.
Then again, Naby Keita is comfortably the most high-profile addition of the lot.
A Premier League and Champions League winner at Liverpool; the former RB Leipzig ace completed a shock switch back to Germany on Friday, joining a Bremen side who finished 13th in the top-flight last term.
“I also still considered it unrealistic that it would really work out,” Baumann tells Deichstube, translated by BuliNews. “We learned of Naby’s desire to return to the Bundesliga some months back, and kept it (in mind) despite not having the greatest hopes.
“We have always managed to convince players seemingly unrealistic to us to join. I’m thinking most recently of Max Kruse, Davy Klaassen or Serge Gnabry. With Naby Keita, too, it was again great teamwork.”
Naby Keita leaves Liverpool for Werder Bremen
Liverpool paid a club-record £52 million to sign Keita back in 2018. That he now departs for nothing, five years on, is largely down to a brutal series of injuries which wrecked the midfielder’s Anfield career; Keita starting only three Premier League games in 2022/23.
“We offer such players a good environment. That’s where we continue to enjoy a good reputation. On top of that, there’s our style of football,” Baumann adds, playing down any injury fears while insisting that Keita comfortably passed his medical.
“We’ve obviously given him the feeling that he’s needed here and will play an important role.
“Our medical department was very fastidious. They paid close attention to his current condition. He passed (the medical) easily. There is no reason to worry.”
SportBILD believe that Keita will earn around £25,000-a-week at Bremen. A massive decrease on the salary he took home during his time with Liverpool.
“Naby had much better offers from a sporting and financial point of view. But, in the end, he wanted to join us because he sees the greatest opportunities here to get back into top form,” Baumann finishes.
“He will certainly be one of the top earners with us, but he won’t blow up our salary structure. We can handle that.”
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