Felix Wiedwald has admitted that he would have stayed with Bundesliga side Werder Bremen if given the choice – rather than move to Leeds United.
Victor Orta has made a number of impressive signings since being appointed as Leeds United’s director of football at the start of the summer. But Felix Wiedwald, the under-fire goalkeeper signed from Werder Bremen, remains something of a blot on Orta’s record so far.
Wiedwald kept six clean sheets in his first seven games in the Championship but, with Leeds’ previously impenetrable defence looking increasingly shaky, the 27-year-old’s vulnerabilities have been clear for all to see.
Wiedwald struggled to command his area and was beaten six times in defeats by Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday prior to the recent international break. And, after that disastrous 3-0 defeat at Hillsborough, Wiedwald has been replaced between the sticks by the safe hands of Andy Lonergan.
And now, the shot-stopper has admitted that he would have rather stayed in Germany if given the option. And a number of Leeds fans would no doubt share that opinion.
“I would have liked to stay in Bremen. After all, I come from Achim near Bremen and I grew up at Werder,” Wiedwald told Deich Stube, before admitting that he expects to turn around a difficult start to life in the Championship.
“Now I’m happy in England, although not everything is going perfectly. The club paid a fee for me and of course I expect that I will restore stability and take responsibility. I am one of the few players in our team with top flight experience. I will show that too.”
That is something of an understatement. Leeds paid Bremen £500,000 for Wiedwald in the summer, per The Sun, but a number of supporters have questioned the decision to let the experienced Rob Green leave for Huddersfield Town in the wake of the German’s arrival.
Now, the goalkeeper has a challenge on his hands forcing his way back into the starting XI.
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