Werder Bremen will be without forward Justin Njinmah for at least two months due to injury. The 25-year-old's diagnosis was confirmed on Deadline Day, posing a personnel problem for coach Daniel Thioune in the attacking department.
The news was first reported by 'Deichstube' and hits the Bundesliga club at an inconvenient time. Werder sits in 15th place with zero points after the first matchday, having scored one goal while conceding four in their opening defeat. This leaves them three points behind leaders Bayern Munich. The next challenge awaits on September 5th with a home match against third-placed RB Leipzig, as visible on our fixtures page.
How serious is Justin Njinmah's injury?
The exact type of injury and expected duration of Justin Njinmah's absence are not yet publicly known. What is clear is that the striker will be out for an extended period. This diagnosis came on the final day of the transfer window, making a short-term market response difficult. For Werder Bremen, this is already the second serious injury blow in attack in a short time, after Jens Stage was also ruled out for the rest of the year with a severe muscle injury.
Who can replace Njinmah at Werder Bremen?
With Njinmah and Stage out, coach Daniel Thioune only has Marco Grüll, Eren Dinkci and Paul Erevbenagie remaining as offensive wing players. A short-term reinforcement in the transfer market was unlikely before the window closed at 20:00. However, the club did manage to secure another defensive talent. Arthur, a 23-year-old defender from Bayer Leverkusen, joins on a one-year loan without an option to buy.
Daniel Thioune spoke positively about the new arrival: "He will certainly find his way with us quite quickly with his quality and can immediately become an option for the defensive line." Previously, Werder had already signed Samuel Mbangula, a 22-year-old player from Bologna.
How does the injury affect the team?
Justin Njinmah's absence hits Werder Bremen at a time when the team has yet to earn a point after the first matchday and possesses the league's worst goal difference at 1:4. The attack must now be reorganized. The remaining wing players will have to take on more responsibility. The current table situation can be tracked on our standings page.
The injury problems raise questions about squad depth, especially with the upcoming demanding match against RB Leipzig. Coach Thioune, 52, must reassess his tactical options. The team now has only a few days to prepare for the home game on September 5th, where they urgently need points to avoid slipping further down the table. The complete squad overview can be found on the squad page.
New signing Arthur could play a role sooner than initially planned, especially if his offensive qualities are to be used to compensate for the missing attackers. Njinmah's injury was, as reported by Bild Sport, diagnosed on Deadline Day.
