Werder Bremen missed out on the return of Cameron Puertas and instead signed Youri Regeer as an alternative. The midfielder moved on loan to Al Wasl SC on deadline day after an agreement with his club Al Qadsiah could not be reached, as reported by fussballdaten.de this week.
Sporting director Peter Niemeyer expressed his regret over the failed deal. "The club valued Puertas and would have liked to work with him again," said Niemeyer. Puertas spent last season on loan at Werder and developed into an important figure in midfield by the end of the campaign. However, a permanent signing of the 24-year-old failed due to the financial demands of Al Qadsiah. According to reports from Bild and Deichstube, the Saudi Arabian club demanded a transfer fee of around ten million euros.
Why the Puertas deal collapsed
In addition to the high transfer fee, the player's contract conditions also played a role. Puertas reportedly extended his contract with Al Qadsiah until 2028 and earns six million euros per year according to media reports. For Werder Bremen, these sums represented too great a financial hurdle. A renewed collaboration remained under discussion until the last day of the transfer window, but no agreement was reached. Instead, the Swiss midfielder found a new sporting challenge with a move to Al Wasl SC in the United Arab Emirates.
Who is the alternative Youri Regeer?
In response to the failed Puertas deal, Werder Bremen acted quickly and signed Youri Regeer from Ajax Amsterdam. The 22-year-old Dutchman also arrived on loan and has already made a positive impression in initial training sessions. The contract includes a purchase option for next summer worth five million euros. Regeer is intended to fill the gap in defensive midfield, which has been widened by the injuries to Senne Lynen and Jens Stage. Werder Bremen's current injury list includes five players, including attacking talents like Justin Njinmah and Eren Dinkçi.
What is the current situation?
Werder Bremen started the Bundesliga season with three points from two games and currently sits in tenth place in the table. The record shows one win and one loss with a goal difference of 4:5. This leaves SVW three points behind surprise leaders FC Augsburg. The next opportunity to collect points comes this Saturday, September 12, 2026, in the away match against 1. FC Köln. Cologne sits just one place behind Werder, promising a close contest. You can find the complete schedule in our fixtures overview.
The decision for Regeer over Puertas is also a strategic move for the coming months. While Puertas has taken a different direction with his move to Asia, Werder can test Regeer thoroughly until next summer before deciding on a permanent signing. The Dutchman has until June 30, 2027, to convince the decision-makers of his quality and secure a regular place in midfield. The next match against Cologne will be an important first test for the new midfield setup.
