Official | Dawid Kownacki joins Werder Bremen on a free transfer from Fortuna Düsseldorf | OneFootball

Werder Bremen have announced that they have completed the signing of striker Dawid Kownacki on a free transfer from Fortuna Düsseldorf.

On his move to the Bundesliga side, Kownacki said: “I had a few other offers from top clubs but the personable feel-good factor played a decisive role. In our talks, Frank Baumann, Clemens Fritz and Ole Werner gave me a clear picture of how they see me, what they expect and what makes the team and the club tick as a whole. We were immediately on the same wavelength. That was a really important factor in my decision-making. In addition, Werder Bremen are having a good season as a promoted side and you get the feeling that everything just fits, not only within the team but also in terms of the relationship between the coaches and the management. Joining this tight unit is a real incentive for me to bring my qualities to the table to help the team develop even further.”

Manager Ole Werner commented on the addition of the 26-year-old: “Dawid is an agile striker who finds the spaces and poses a real threat in front of goal. He has made a great impression at Fortuna this season not only as a goalscorer but also as a provider. As a player who has picked up seven caps for Poland and played on the European stage with Lech Poznan and Sampdoria, he will be bringing lots of experience into the side.”

This season the Kownacki has played 31 times for Düssledorf scoring 12 and assisting nine in the 2.Bundesliga. He joined the club back in 2019 initially on loan from Sampdoria before having another short loan spell at Lech Poznan in Poland.

The arrival of Kownacki could potentially open the door for the departure of Bremen’s two main strikers as Marvin Ducksch has attracted interest from Germany and Italy. While the Bundesliga top scorer Niclas Füllkrug could also leave in the summer with it being reported the 30-year-old could earn Bremen close to €15m.

Bremen have secured their place in the Bundesliga for next season as they drew 1-1 with 1.FC Köln on Saturday. Their survival shows the job that coach Werner has done this season with Bremen as they have struggled financially compared to Schalke, who finished ahead of Bremen in the 2.Bundesliga, are fighting for relegation.

GGFN | Jack Meenan