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Werder Bremen launches Naby Keita exit plan to end disastrous spell after Liverpool transfer

Naby Keita
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Werder Bremen is ready to launch their exit plan to end former Liverpool man Naby Keita’s disastrous spell.

The career of Keita is one that will go down in the section of wasted talent with the Guinea international seeing the potential he showed at RB Leipzig greatly unfulfilled following his £52 million ($69.6 million) move to Anfield in 2018.

Keita’s time at Anfield was marred by injuries and the club eventually cut ties with the midfielder at the end of the 2022/23 season when he left Anfield upon the expiry of his contract, making 129 appearances across five years. But a return to the Bundesliga has failed to reignite his career as he made just five appearances for Werder across the entirety of last season. Still only 29, Keita is unwanted again, with it reported that Die Werderaner want to sell him as soon as possible.

According to Sport Bild, Werder wants to get rid of Keita in China having cost the club a hefty €6,818 ($7,616) a day for a total of 107 Bundesliga minutes. The club has already removed him from its website with only his name and No. 18 shirt still listed.

Keita was celebrated as a great signing by Werder but just over 12 months later, the club is desperate to part ways. His omission from the team is said to be down to a mix of injury and fitness issues and a falling out with the hierarchy at the club.

His reported €200,000-per-week ($223,000) wages are astronomical for Werder considering he last played for the club in March. Keita was suspended by the club for refusing to travel with the team to play Bayer Leverkusen last season. The midfielder was banned for the remainder of the season and was given a “substantial fine.”

The former Liverpool man has fallen out with the Werder Bremen chiefs
The former Liverpool man has fallen out with the Werder Bremen chiefs

Keita looked set to move to Turkish side Hatayspor in the summer but a deal fell through at the last minute with the Guinean claiming he had a “bad feeling” about the switch, which further incensed Werder’s chiefs and fans. However, it’s added that a number of clubs have shown a willingness to do a deal for the unwanted midfielder and discussions are ongoing in the background.

Werder Bremen’s head of football Clemens Fritz spoke on German TV programme Doppelpass about the situation regarding Keita. “We have to find a solution with his agency,” he said.

“There are still some markets like the United Arab Emirates that are open. A new transfer window starts again in October or we might find a solution during the winter break. For us it is clear, we will not terminate the contract now. There is no way back.”

Fritz continued to lambast Keita, he added: “When we signed him, we knew that it could be a certain opportunity but also a risk. We tried to get him to the best possible level but if someone refuses to get on the Werder bus for an away game, especially at a time when we had many injured and suspended players.”