Coach Steffen “not surprised”
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“We have brought in some young players to develop them and create value for Werder,” said sports director Clemens Fritz in a recent Transfermarkt interview – and that’s exactly what Karim Coulibaly (18) does. The defensive talent will record the biggest increase in market value in the Green-Whites’ squad in the Bundesliga update next Tuesday and is already in the focus of top international clubs.
The “Bild” newspaper According to reports, several top clubs from Italy, England and Portugal have inquired about Coulibaly. One interested party is said to be willing to spend 15 million to 20 million euros for the DFB junior. It is therefore hardly surprising that Coulibaly’s market value, which is still estimated at 1 million euros, will rise significantly. However, it is already certain that he will become the most valuable German defender under the age of 19 at whatever sum he will reach in the coming week. The TM community values Coulibaly at an average of almost 7 million euros in the market value analysis.
After his short debut, Coulibaly had to start from the start on Matchday 2 against Bayer Leverkusen (3:3) due to Werder’s injury concerns and experienced ups and downs. The 1.91 meter tall central defender had to learn the lessons in some situations, but even when he was outnumbered, he scored the celebrated last-minute equalizer. Since then, Coulibaly hasn’t missed a minute under new coach Horst Steffen, and his performances have stabilized more and more.
“I’m not surprised by that,” said Steffen recently, who already demonstrated a knack for up-and-coming talents like Nick Woltemade (23) and Paul Wanner (19) at his previous station in Elversberg. “It was more because he had more insecurities in the first one or two games than I had previously perceived.” But things have now gotten significantly better, “because you can rely on him. I’m very pleased that he’s developing so well.”
Coulibaly wants to develop further in peace at Werder Bremen
It’s also good for Werder that Coulibaly only extended his contract in July. According to reports, he is said to have committed himself to Bremen until 2029 and without an exit clause, so that Werder could freely negotiate the transfer fee if the worst came to the worst. A quick farewell should not be an option for Coulibaly. The defensive talent feels very comfortable in Bremen and now wants to wear the Werder jersey next season, according to the report.
However, it is also certain that Coulibaly will one day bring in a hefty fee for the financially strapped Green-Whites. But “these steps take time,” explained Fritz. “We are convinced that it is the right path. With Mio Backhaus, Karim Coulibaly and Patrice Covic we saw in the first games that they can stand their ground in the Bundesliga.” The market value update will also go up for the other two young professionals.
