Werder Bremen in the transfer check: Niakate, Kenny and Kalajdzic in focus!

Werder Bremen in the transfer check: Niakate, Kenny and Kalajdzic in focus!

The rumor mill surrounding SV Werder Bremen is bubbling as ever! The focus is currently on 25-year-old central defender Sikou Niakate from SC Braga. Bremen are showing great interest in the player, but this is where things get exciting: Braga is demanding a transfer fee of 12.5 million euros. An amount that makes a transfer to Bremen anything but safe, as Deichstube reports. Niakate's market value is estimated at around 8 million euros. A deal that Werder should perhaps think twice about.

Niakate, who plays for the Malian national team, has had an eventful career. Born in Montreuil, he began his football training at the famous Paris Saint-Germain, but was not retained there. After stints at AC Boulogne-Billancourt and Évreux FC, he finally came to Valenciennes, where he signed his first professional contract in 2017. The defender's development makes it clear that he is talented, but the price could go beyond Bremen's budget. His current salary is 340,000 euros annually, which works out to around 26,152 euros per month, as Africafoot notes.

More transfer rumors

At Werder Bremen, however, there are not only discussions about Niakate. Leon Opitz is also at the center of Bremen's transfer activities. The decision about his future has been postponed. On the other hand, the young talent Mio Backhaus has extended his contract long-term and will therefore remain part of the team. Another player who arouses desire at Werder is Jonjoe Kenny from Hertha BSC. The 28-year-old could move to the Hanseatic League on a free transfer and drew attention with 8 assists and 1 goal in the last second division season.

But the Polish national player Maxi Oyedele from Legia Warsaw is also on the list of those responsible. With a release clause of €6 million, he could be an interesting addition, especially as Manchester United would receive 40% of the transfer fee. If you take a look at the market values, Oyedele is currently worth 4 million euros, which makes him quite attractive for Werder.

Overall, Werder Bremen is active in squad planning. While new additions are being quietly and secretly worked on, former coach Ole Werner could also soon make his way to Leipzig. Bremen have not yet officially confirmed any new signings, but are in talks with various players such as Sasa Kalajdzic from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Igor Matanovic from Eintracht Frankfurt, both of whom could also represent interesting options.

Conclusion

Of course, there is still a lot up in the air, but the developments surrounding Sikou Niakate and the other transfer targets show that a real rethink is taking place at Werder Bremen. With smart decisions, the club could not only secure its sporting future, but also demonstrate a good financial hand in order to remain competitive in the Bundesliga. It will be exciting to see what happens next with Werder's team!