Isaac Schmidt has revealed he found out about Werder Bremen's interest in his services before Leeds United returned for pre-season training.
After weeks of speculation, the Switzerland international finally joined the Bundesliga outfit earlier this week. The full-back will spend the 2025/26 season on loan at Bremen.
It was widely expected Schmidt would depart Elland Road this summer. He has struggled to force his way into Daniel Farke's first team plans since arriving from St Gallen, making just 14 appearances across all competitions for United last term.
Schmidt told Bremen's official website: "I think the first phone call from the coach came on 1st July. I spoke with him and with the staff then. Since then, it was clear to me that I wanted to play for Werder."
He stepped up off the bench to score on his Bremen debut against Bayor Leverkusen yesterday. Reports in Germany suggest Bremen can sign Schmidt on a permanent basis for €3m next summer. It has also been claimed the Bundesliga club have not paid a loan fee for Schmidt but will cover his wages.
"I've been familiar with the club for several years now, and Werder are a big club," he said. "I also love German football, the Bundesliga and the mentality here. There's plenty of good football being played here and the fans are fantastic. I also know that both Werder and the head coach, who joined ahead of the season, want to play good football."
United have strengthened their full-back options in recent weeks, adding Gabriel Gudmundsson and James Justin to their ranks.
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