Image via Mikolaj Barbanell/Shutterstock
Reports in the German media emerged on Monday, claiming that Dawid Kownacki has agreed to personal terms with Werder Bremen. The 26 year-old striker is leaving current club Fortuna Düsseldorf at the end of this season, and it has been rumoured since this was announced last December that he was pursuing a move to an established Bundesliga side.
Bremen currently lie in 12th place in the Bundesliga, and whilst not mathematically safe from relegation to the 2. Bundesliga, are in no real danger of being dragged into a fight to avoid the drop, having realistically done enough with five games left. Whilst not impossible, Düsseldorf have little to no chance of gaining promotion to the Bundesliga this season, as they sit ten points off an automatic promotion place and nine points from a play-off place.
This is a bit of a shame in my opinion, as Kownacki is having the season of his life with Fortuna, scoring 14 times in 30 appearances in all competitions so far. Very hard done by not to go to the World Cup or be called up by Poland for the March internationals, you assume Kownacki is thinking that playing at a higher level may ensure he is more likely to receive an opportunity to play for his country once more, with his last appearance for Poland coming in June 2021.
If these reports are indeed confirmed and Kownacki is headed to Bremen, I’d certainly be keen to see whether he can replicate the form he has shown thus far this season. It’s important to remember that less than a year ago Kownacki was seriously considering returning to Lech Poznań after a loan spell there for the second half of the season, and if he had done it would be quite damning of the way his career had gone since he initially left Lech in 2017.
Now though, on the back of such an amazing season, there is optimism amongst Polish fans and pundits that Kownacki can finally build on the promise he showed when he broke into the Lech team at just 16.
It’s also quite encouraging that Michał Karbownik has also been having a great season at Fortuna Düsseldorf, and is supposedly in talks to make his loan move permanent. In another 12-18 months we could be looking at Karbownik making the step up to the Bundesliga as well, be it with Düsseldorf or a more established top-flight team.
No matter which team Kownacki were to join this summer, you imagine he will have to fight for a starting spot despite his great season. Being available on a free has certainly made him an attractive option, my only worry being he may end up condemned to being a squad player. Given Bremen’s other options at striker look like they may move on in the summer, or are younger, less experienced players, there is definitely breathing space for Kownacki to prove himself at the top level in Germany next season.
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