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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Stephen Killen

Liverpool move hailed as 'extremely good transfer' by Germany breakout star Niclas Füllkrug

Werder Bremen striker Niclas Füllkrug has praised the club's move for Naby Keita following his exit from Liverpool.

Keita's free transfer to Bremen sees him return to the Bundesliga after five years at Anfield. The midfielder arrived on Merseyside from RB Leipzig for £52.75m in 2018 but saw his time with the Reds blighted by injury despite winning everything possible with the club.

Keita will play his football at the Weserstadion for the 2023-24 season after leaving Liverpool upon the expiry of his contract. It has been claimed that he has taken a pay cut to join Ole Werner's side.

And Füllkrug believes the signing sends a strong message to the league and Europe about the club's ambitions. The 30-year-old striker, who is facing speculation over his own future after a breakout season in which he scored 16 times in the Bundesliga and six goals in his first six games for Germany, told BILD: "The transfer of Naby Keita is definitely an extremely good transfer.

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"It was clear to everyone at the club that we had to improve in quality, that we needed players to make a difference.

"And then signing someone like that on a free transfer from Liverpool FC is of course incredibly strong and is also a good sign to the outside world for further transfers and the current situation at Werder Bremen."

Keita will be hoping to inspire Bremen back up the table after falling on hard times This season, they finished 13th in their return to the German top-flight following promotion from the second division.

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