Former Liverpool man Naby Keita has not had the easiest time with Werder Bremen in Germany following his Liverpool exit last summer.
When Liverpool signed Keita from RB Leipzig for a then-club record fee of £52.75 million in the summer of 2018, expectations were sky-high.
Keita, handed the iconic No. 8 shirt previously worn by Steven Gerrard, was touted as one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga and a potential game-changer for the Reds.
Unfortunately, Keita’s time at Anfield was marred by a series of injuries that severely limited his impact.
During his five-year stint with Liverpool, Keita managed only 77 starts across all competitions.
Despite glimpses of brilliance, such as his performances during the 2019/20 title-winning season and his contributions in the 2021/22 campaign, consistent injury troubles prevented him from establishing himself as a mainstay in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield.
In the summer of 2023, Keita sought a new beginning with Werder Bremen, joining the Bundesliga side on a free transfer.
However, his injury woes followed him to Germany.
Keita suffered an adductor problem during the warm-up for his proposed debut against VfB Oldenburg, forcing him to withdraw from the match and undergo further scans.
This setback was indicative of the persistent injury issues that have plagued his career since his transfer to Liverpool.
The Guinea international was then embroiled in disciplinary issues when he refused to accompany the team to Bundesliga game when he discovered he would not be starting the match.
Now, things have gone from bad to worse for Keita after Bremen’s latest club statement.
What did Werder Bremen say about Naby Keita?
Naby Keita is set to depart Werder Bremen after just one season owing to his injury problems and disciplinary issues.
A club statement from the Bundesliga side read:
Naby Keïta will not return to the Bundesliga team’s team training, but will continue to complete an individual training programme. This is the result of a conversation on Wednesday evening with Naby Keïta, his agent and the sporting management of SV Werder Bremen.
“It was a very open conversation in which we came to the conclusion together that this is the most sensible way in the current situation,” explains Clemens Fritz, managing director of football at Werder.
“On the one hand, we want to concentrate fully on the rest of the preparation and the start of the season. On the other hand, Naby had also been thinking about it for a long time.”
“Since his sporting situation does not change again, he would like to look for a new challenge. Together with his agent, we want to realise this as soon as possible.”
Naby Keita’s journey since RB Leipzig has been a tale of unfulfilled potential and ongoing struggles with fitness.
While his technical skills and moments of brilliance are undeniable, the persistent injuries have overshadowed his career.
Hopefully a fresh start elsewhere can save his career as the Guinea international is still only 29-years-old,
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