Niemeyer comments on situation
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The unfortunate liaison between Werder Bremen and Naby Keïta still has no end in sight. Both parties have so far been working unsuccessfully to find a solution that is satisfactory for all sides. There is still hope that the transfer windows in some countries will be open. “You hear something here and there. But so far it hasn’t gone so far that there has been anything concrete. We still hope that we will find a solution,” Werder’s new head of professional football, Peter Niemeyer, is quoted as saying by “Kicker”.
Keïta’s contract at the Weser runs until 2026, and a return to the pitch is out of the question. Terminating the contract could be the last resort. “We’re still waiting until all transfer windows are closed,” Niemeyer stated. “In the meantime, we’ll work on possible solutions. And if this option is no longer available, we’ll reassess the situation.”
Speculations about a possible engagement with Basaksehir in Turkey are unfounded. In the Süper Lig, transfers are still possible until September 13th, in Qatar, for example, the deadline is September 9th. Beyond that, Keïta’s only option would be to move to other more exotic countries that are far from the level of his previous stations in the Bundesliga and Premier League. “As his sporting situation does not change again, he would like to look for a new challenge. Together with his agent, we want to make this happen as soon as possible,” said managing director Clemens Fritz at the beginning of August. A return to team training with the Bundesliga club is not planned; instead, Keïta continues to keep fit individually.
The midfielder’s signing for free in 2023, which was met with astonishment, turned out to be a major misunderstanding in Bremen. The former Liverpool and Leipzig player, who was valued at 65 million euros in spring 2018, only made five appearances for 107 minutes due to injury. The last straw was a strike: Keïta refused to travel to the away game at Bayer Leverkusen (0:5) in mid-April after hearing that he would not play from the start despite a major shortage of personnel, which resulted in a suspension until the end of the season.
