Keïta refused Hatayspor loan out, Bremen boss confirms

Among several players linked with a move to Turkey on deadline day yesterday, Naby Keïta himself nixed a loan deal that would have sent him to Hatayspor Kulübü. SV Werder Bremen personnel chief Peter Niemeyer reported this development when reached for comment by Bremen's "Deichstube" fan site. The 29-year-old evidently passed a medical ordered by the Turkish club in the Hanseatic City state, yet did not wish to continue playing under his current contract with the German club.

Keïta's field transfer means that SC Freiburg's Roland Sallai was the only top flight German professional to depart the Bundesrepublik on Turkey's deadline day. The Breisgauer sold the Hungarian international outright to Galatasaray Istanbul for a reported €6 million sum. As both of their respective head-coaches reported yesterday, Eintracht Frankfurt's Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe and FC Augsburg's Ruben Vargas remained with their Bundesliga sides. Niemeyer explained that Bremen would not release Keïta from his contract.

"The agreement was there, but then Naby decided against the change at the last moment,” Niemeyer told Deichstube, ‘If an agreement has been reached between all parties, the player must have been fundamentally willing to change beforehand. Naby's situation with us remains unchanged. From our side, there is currently no plan to talk about terminating his contract."

It now looks to be the case that Keïta will remain with Bremen at least through January. Niemeyer recently noted that the club would "wait until all transfer windows are closed before "reassessing" the Keïta situation. There remain 32 countries across the globe that can still accept transfers, but there is no longer an opportunity for Keïta to move to an established league.