After returning to the Bundesliga, manager Frank Baumann expects a difficult season for Werder Bremen. Mainly because the traditional club has significantly less financial resources than many of its competitors. “Even if Schalke and Werder are not typical climbers by name, they will initially be the small ones in the league – at least as far as our budget is concerned. We will have a salary budget that puts us in a relegation zone,” said the 46-year-old from “Sport Bild”.
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Right this way According to media reports, the budget should be between 27 and 30 million euros. “I don’t comment on sums. We want to achieve a transfer surplus of a mid-single-digit million amount in order to further advance the consolidation. That’s why it’s important for us in the new season to stay in the 1st division,” Baumann continued. With Niklas Stark (27), Amos Pieper (24) and Dikeni Salifou (18), Werder had signed three professionals for the new season free of charge. The transfer brings in the sale of Maik Nawrocki (for 1.5 million to Legia Warsaw). The club last had a negative balance on the transfer market in the summer of 2019.
Baumann’s goal is to develop the club in the cut-throat Bundesliga competition so that it re-establishes itself. When he is 50 at the latest, he wants to stop and take a break. “Until then, it is my aim to position the club so well in terms of sport and economy that I can hand over my position to my successor with a clear conscience.”
Pizarro to Diego: Werder Bremen’s most expensive sales
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17 – Claudio Pizarro | 2001/02 for €7.54m to FC Bayern
Werder Bremen: Baumann confirms contract clause with coach Werner
Baumann also said that promotion coach Ole Werner’s contract, which runs until June 30, 2023, will be automatically extended until 2024 if he remains in the Bundesliga. In addition, talks with Niclas Füllkrug (29; contract until 2023) are to follow in the foreseeable future. Baumann is “not worried” that top scorer Marvin Ducksch (28; contract until 2024) could leave.
When asked whether Werder could return to the successful times of the 1990s and early 2000s after returning to the upper house, Baumann was pessimistic: “Marco Bode wrote a book that was recently published with the thesis : Werder can never be German champion again. I also believe that it will no longer be possible, at least for the foreseeable future. But other clubs have much better economic conditions compared to us.