When it came to signing Naby Keita, SV Werder Bremen prevailed against financially stronger competition – without jeopardizing their own economic targets.
Werder sport director Frank Baumann does not call for any other goals despite the commitment of Naby Keita.
IMAGO/Nordphoto
Frank Baumann sends one thing up front at the beginning of the conversation: “It is not to be expected that we will always be able to sign players in this category”. With the transfer of Naby Keita, the bar was set “very high” in this respect, says the sports director of SV Werder Bremen. Especially since the Bundesliga side left numerous other clubs behind in courting the midfielder to complete the free transfer deal after the 28-year-old’s contract with Liverpool expired.
Excluding the other four or five top clubs in the Premier League, there was also interest in the Guineas international from England, but also from clubs in Spain and Italy that are represented in international competitions. Also close to Keita was a European-qualified club from Germany. In winter, however, RB Leipzig planned to bring back the player who left the club in 2018 for 60 million euros – but Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp didn’t want to let him go at the time.
Baumann: “Financial matters were secondary”
Werder certainly didn’t make the most economically lucrative offer for him, “the financial aspect was of secondary importance in this case,” says Baumann: “Naby and those around him were concerned: what suits the sport and the environment? Where can he feel comfortable, where bring his strengths to the pitch?” Bremen were able to convince the player to change – without having to take the financial risk and without breaking the salary structure. “It’s nothing crazy what we’ve done and it fits in with the targets as far as the salary budget is concerned,” explains the sporting director. He will still be one of the top earners at the club.
There are no effects on the transfer surplus that Werder has to generate this summer in view of liabilities of around 38 million euros – this remains unchanged. “But we’re in a similar situation to many other clubs in the Bundesliga,” emphasized Baumann.
Even with Keita: No other Werder goal
The 47-year-old, however, is reluctant to see Keita’s commitment as a declaration of war on such clubs: “We took advantage of an opportunity that opened up for us to win a player who has played in the Champions League in recent years – and we’re happy about that. But that’s all it is,” says Baumann: “It’s not like we’re going into the season with a different goal straight away.” That was called in the past season: Relegation.
2023-06-11 14:23:46
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