Topp speaks on summer move: "Schalke were playing me for a fool." | OneFootball

Interviewed in the Sky-produced footballing program "Meine Geschichte" ("My Story") new SV Werder Bremen and Germany U21 striker Keke Topp admitted that he himself wasn't necessarily ready to make the leap to new levels this past offseason.

Photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Twenty-year-old German striker Keke Topp hasn't necessarily been shy about admitting the fact that he has much work to do in order to adjust his game to the Bundesliga level. In a recently aired interview on the Sky Germany produced footballing serial "Meine Geschichte" ("My Story"), the new SV Werder Bremen man shed some light on his summer transfer from Schalke.

Even though Topp technically rejoined his initial academy club, the newly-capped Germany U21 international made clear that he didn't wish to leave the Ruhrpott club that helped him develop into a first team player.

"I didn't wish to switch at all," Topp remarked on the program, "For me personally, it wasn't really on the table to leave this summer. It was conveyed to me that I would be the future of the attack, that they had big plans for me, and that they wanted me to be a top earner at some point."

"Then came the Schalke contract offer and I felt like they were playing me for a fool," Topp continued, "They also took away so many of my closest confidants both in terms of coaches and players. If it weren't for all of that, I'd still be playing at Schalke."

"I know that I don't have the level to play 90 minutes over 34 games [in the Bundesliga] yet," Topp concluded, "I don't have the quality for that yet. But I'm only 20, after all. I played one season in the second division. For me, it's a matter of developing."