Overview
- Werder has already completed seven senior signings before preseason and nine if youth promotions are counted, and four of the new arrivals trained in the first session on Sunday.
- The only paid arrivals were goalkeeper Karl Hein and defender Oskar Wojcik, who together cost about €6 million, while several other recruits arrived on free transfers.
- Sport director Clemens Fritz says two to three further signings remain possible but any significant new spending depends on sales that must generate income in the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
- Key sale candidates such as Karim Coulibaly, Justin Njinmah and Jens Stage are being monitored in different stages — Coulibaly draws ongoing interest, Njinmah is exploring options (possibly to England), and Stage has returned to training after offers were rejected.
- The policy change follows a self‑review of last summer’s early high‑risk spending and the Mio Backhaus sale; Werder’s goal is a more stable squad able to finish mid‑table while avoiding the transfer market’s inflated prices.