Record-breaker Nuri Sahin quits Dortmund for Werder Bremen

BERLIN: Bundesliga record-breaker Nuri Sahin signed for Werder Bremen on Friday, just before the transfer window closed in Germany, after being frustrated by a lack of chances this season at Borussia Dortmund.

Sahin, who turns 30 on Wednesday, won the 2010-11 Bundesliga title with Dortmund and has reportedly signed a two-year deal with Bremen for an undisclosed sum.

He made 274 appearances for Borussia, scoring 26 goals with 49 assists in 11 seasons, having joined Dortmund as a schoolboy in 2001.

In 2005, Sahin became the youngest player to make his Bundesliga debut, aged just 16 years, 334 days, a record that still stands.

"We are glad that we were able to convince a player of this quality to come to Werder," said sports director Frank Baumann. 

The midfielder was not in the plans of new head coach Lucien Favre, who left him out for Sunday's 4-1 home win over RB Leipzig, and Sahin was released with a year left on his Dortmund contract.

With 51 international appearances for Turkey, Sahin comes with a wealth of experience having also had spells at Liverpool and Real Madrid, who he joined from Dortmund in 2011 before returning to Borussia in 2014.

"I don't think there is much to say about the qualities of Nuri, he has experienced almost everything in the Bundesliga, won the German league, and played for Real Madrid and Liverpool," said Bremen head coach Florian Kohfeldt.

"He has the potential to take us even further and allows us more options."

Sahin's arrival in Bremen is too late for him to be included for Saturday's away game at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bremen, who drew 1-1 with Hanover 96 in their opening game of the 2018/19 Bundesliga season, have aspirations to finish in the European places in May.

They signed Dutch midfielder Davy Klaassen from Everton for a reported club record of 14 million euros ($16.3m) last month.