BREMEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 10: Naby Keita of Werder on the bench before the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 at Wohninvest Weserstadion on February 10, 2024 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Max Ellerbrake - firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
Naby Keita is on the verge of leaving Werder Bremen
Naby Keita has been offered a lifeline by Ferencvaros following a disastrous spell with Werder Bremen.
The midfielder arrived at Bremen on a free transfer from Liverpool in the summer of 2023. He had also underwhelmed on Merseyside, with injuries restricting him to just 49 Premier League starts in five years.
The Reds had paid RB Leipzig £52million to sign him in the summer of 2018 and he returned to the Bundesliga in the hopes of kickstarting his career. Those hopes were quickly dashed though as he failed to stake a regular place in the Bremen team.
Last year he made just five Bundesliga appearances, only one of which was a start. This season has been even worse, with Keita out of the first-team picture altogether after coach Ole Herner urged him to find a new club.
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Herner said recently: "I believe that it's best for both sides to simply look ahead and into the future, to see what good solutions Naby can find for himself and what solutions we can find without him."
It appears Keita may well have found his solution, just in time for the January transfer window. Accoding to Bild, Keita will be sent out on loan to Hungarian champions Ferencvaros next month.
The deal could include a purchase option and may be finalised in the next 'two to three days'. Keita has been sent to train with the youth team this season, having been suspended by the club last year for refusing to travel to an away game.
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BREMEN, GERMANY - MARCH 30: Naby Keita of Werder Bremen runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and VfL Wolfsburg at Wohninvest Weserstadion on March 30, 2024 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images) (Photo by Cathrin Mueller/Getty Images)
Keita has made just five appearances since joining Bremen from Liverpool in 2023
He had returned home when he found out he wasn’t in the starting XI for a game against Bayer Leverkusen. Keita was handed a substantial fine, with Bremen sporting director Clemens Fritz insisting the club would not tolerate his behaviour.
"We won't tolerate Naby's behaviour," said Fritz. He let his team down in a time of difficulty surrounding our recent run of form and squad availability and put his own interests above those of the team.
"We can't allow that. At this stage of the season, we need full focus on the remaining games and a team who stick together. That's why we've been left with no alternative."
Keita has not hidden his frustrations at his lack of playing time. He told The Guardian in October: “I had the option of extending my stay at Liverpool but, after five years, I wanted to get more playing time elsewhere.
“I was also convinced by what the coach and management at Bremen had to say. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan. A lot of people say to me: ‘Naby, you’re injured, why don’t you want to play for Bremen?’ I say: ‘No, I’m fine'.
"Since I came back from the Africa Cup of Nations [in February], all I’ve wanted to do is play for the fans and the club. But it’s not up to me. The club decided to put me with the under-23s. I’m training with them and helping the youngsters while I wait for the wheels to turn."
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