Estonian national team goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein has joined German Bundesliga team Werder Bremen, on loan from London side Arsenal on a one year deal.
"The decision to join Werder was very easy for me," Hein said via the club homepage. "It is a big club with fantastic fans and a powerful stadium: I didn't have to think twice. I am very much looking forward to starting in Bremen," Hein added.
Hein, 23, has in effect replaced Michael Zetterer, who has gone to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Werder's sporting director Peter Niemeyer meanwhile said the team was "glad that we could fill the gap that arose after Michael Zetterer's departure, so quickly with Karl."
"He is a goalkeeper who stood out in the Spanish top league last year and has proven his quality also when playing for the Estonian national team," Niemeyer went on.
At a more recent national team meeting in Tallinn, ahead of Friday's clash with Italy, Hein said of his move: "It took a little longer than last year, but in my situation it tends to go like that. In the end it came and I am satisfied with the new challenge. I look forward to it with excitement," adding he had a "very positive first impression, Germany is a cool big country, Bremen is a nice little town — moderately large, yet everything is there. So far I have really liked it, the first impression is very good, the complex and the stadium seem very-very high level."
"My job is to perform well in training, to train well, to put in hard effort and see what happens. At this level there are no guarantees and there cannot be. You have to be a man yourself, fight for your place and we'll see what the end result is," he added.
Hein spent much of last season on loan from Arsenal to Real Valladolid where he was first choice keeper, appearing in 31 league matches. This was not enough to prevent the team's relegation to the Segunda División, however.
Hein joined Arsenal's academy seven years ago, getting one first team appearance, in the League Cup. Hein also played five league matches for Reading in the second tier English Championship, back in the 2021-2022 season.
The Estonian had been linked with moves both to fellow La Liga side Sevilla and to Rangers F.C. of the Scottish Premier League, before going on loan to Werder.
Hein's new team haven't won the Bundesliga since 2004, and finished eighth last season.
Hein is in action with the Estonian men's national football team away to Italy Friday, in their next World Cup qualifiers Group I match. Both teams currently have three points, though from two matches played in Italy's case, compared with four played by Estonia.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Anders Nõmm