Werder Bremen faces a frantic end to the summer 2026 transfer window after midfielder Jens Stage suffered a severe long-term injury. The 29-year-old sustained a serious thigh muscle tear in training ahead of the Bundesliga opener and is not expected back before the end of the calendar year, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Daniel Thioune's team began the season with a 4-1 defeat away at SC Freiburg and sits in 15th place with zero points from one match. With just one goal scored and four conceded, Werder also has the league's worst goal difference. Alongside Stage, Felix Agu, Justin Njinmah, and Senne Lynen are currently sidelined, as shown on the club's injuries page.
Who will replace Jens Stage?
According to chief personnel executive Clemens Fritz, a direct one-for-one replacement for Jens Stage is not feasible. Stage had scored ten Bundesliga goals in each of the past two seasons, making him the team's leading scorer. "We expect a genuine first-team reinforcement, not a long-term development project," said manager Daniel Thioune, acknowledging his squad remains unfinished. The club now aims to sign an offensively oriented midfielder.
One candidate is 28-year-old Cameron Puertas, currently under contract with Al-Qadsiah. The Saudi club is reportedly asking for a fee around €10 million. Another player Werder hopes to add before the deadline is Moussa Ndiaye. Already secured is the loan of 23-year-old Dutch midfielder Youri Regeer from Twente Enschede with a purchase option. The defensive midfielder can also provide cover at right-back.
How will Werder finance the new signings?
Werder Bremen generated approximately €30 million this summer through the sales of Karim Coulibaly and Romano Schmid. Relatively little of that sum has been directly reinvested in permanent additions so far. To create more financial flexibility for investments, the club wants to move on players with high salaries. "If you free up some salary budget, you can perhaps invest a little more," Clemens Fritz told sports.yahoo.com.
Defender Júlian Malatini is among those moving closer to an exit. Solutions are also being sought for returning loanees Dawid Kownacki and Skelly Alvero. Furthermore, 22-year-old Belgian winger Samuel Mbangula, signed from Juventus for around €10 million last summer, has been linked with a move to Bologna or Atalanta by journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. He was substituted at half-time in the DFB-Pokal opener and remained an unused substitute in Freiburg.
What does this mean for the next fixture?
The impending personnel decisions also affect preparations for the next competitive match. On Friday, September 5, 2026, Werder Bremen hosts RB Leipzig, who currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga standings. Thioune must line up his team without their most prolific midfielder of the past two years while integrating potential new signings, which disrupts established playing patterns.
The club enters the final phase of the window with more business to conduct than initially anticipated. Jens Stage's injury has significantly increased the urgency for additional reinforcements. The coming days will reveal if Werder Bremen can secure the desired attacking options before the deadline closes. The next home game against Leipzig provides an early test for the still-unfinished squad.
