Leeds defender Maximilian Wöber declares Germany “paradise for a footballer” | OneFootball

Not long after his season-long-loan from Leeds United was confirmed, new Werder Bremen signing Maximilian Wöber conducted an interview with club media. The now 31-times-capped Austrian international declared himself ecstatic to be back in the Bundesliga. The centre-back spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach, turning in a memorable season featuring two goals in 25 Bundesliga appearances.

The Vienna-native remains a well-travelled professional. Wöber has worked in Holland, Spain, and England in addition to his native country over the years. Unfortunately, injuries have precluded him from living up to expectations with his current Premier League parent club Leeds United. The one-time €12m transfer has seen his estimated market value decline from a peak of €14m to €8m since making the move to the Isle.

Wöber nevertheless proclaimed himself extremely confident about the prospects of reviving his career during his second Bundesliga stint. Werder appears to be a decent fit for the 27-year-old. In his club interview, Wöber noted that he had already established solid connections with Austrian compatriots Marco Friedl, Marco Grüll, and Romano Schmid. Werder features an excellent “ÖFB clique”.

“Naturally, I chatted with the guys about how it is here [in Bremen],” Wöber noted. “How they feel about it and if they have any tips on living arrangements and [recreational] ‘hot spots’. I definitely wanted to join Werder because something is happening here.

“A long period of suffering is over,” Wöber said of his recent struggles with two separate knee operations. “It was tough. Things didn’t work out the way the doctors and I imagined. But now I’m training at ‘full-throttle’.

“Every match in the Bundesliga is a battle,” Wöber remarked when speaking on his new locale. “My goal was get back to the Bundesliga. The intensity. The atmosphere in the stadiums. Germany is paradise for a footballer.“

GGFN | Peter Weis