Werder Bremen have officially completed the signing of Ajax midfielder Youri Regeer, responding swiftly to the long-term absence of Jens Stage with a season-long loan deal for the 23-year-old Dutchman. Both clubs confirmed the transfer on Monday evening. Ajax also announced that Werder have secured a purchase option as part of the agreement.
According to Dutch newspaper AD, Bremen will pay only €200,000 to loan Regeer for the 2026/27 campaign. De Telegraaf – as relayed by transfermarkt.de – places the subsequent purchase option at €5m – matching the midfielder’s current estimated market value. The transfer represents the first major piece of business completed since Stage suffered a serious thigh injury expected to keep him sidelined until after the winter break.
Get German Football News reported earlier on Monday that Werder were preparing for a hectic finish to the summer transfer window, with the Stage injury forcing sporting director Clemens Fritz and the Bremen administrative team to reconsider their plans at short notice.
Regeer had already emerged as one of Werder’s primary solutions.
Regeer offers Thioune multiple options
Although naturally a defensive midfielder, Regeer’s versatility appears to have played a major role in Bremen’s decision. The former Netherlands youth international can operate as a No. 6, in a double pivot or slightly further forward, while also possessing experience at right-back.
That flexibility could prove especially useful given Werder’s problems on the defensive flank. Mitchell Weiser and Felix Agu are not yet fully fit, forcing 18-year-old Mick Schmetgens into senior action during the opening weeks of the season.
Bremen are nevertheless also expected to complete a separate loan move for Bayer Leverkusen full-back Arthur.
Bremen secure low-risk deal
Regeer made 38 appearances for Ajax across all competitions last season and had started all eight of the club’s competitive fixtures this term before a head injury ruled him out at the weekend. He returned to Amsterdam from FC Twente in January 2025 after initially progressing through the Ajax academy and making his senior breakthrough with the Dutch giants.
Regeer has accumulated 57 competitive first-team appearances for Ajax overall and remains under contract in Amsterdam through 2029. His current market value stands at approximately €5m, having fallen from €6m since his return from Twente.
That makes the structure of Bremen’s agreement particularly attractive. A €200,000 loan fee gives Thioune immediate midfield reinforcement at minimal short-term cost, while the reported €5m option provides Werder with the opportunity to retain Regeer permanently should he establish himself during the coming campaign.
The Dutchman now arrives primarily as a response to Stage’s devastating injury, but his ability to cover multiple positions could make him considerably more than a temporary replacement.
Statements on Youri Regeer’s arrival
“We have been watching Youri for quite a while and are pleased that the opportunity has now arisen to bring him in,” Bremen personnel executive Peter Niemeyer noted in a club statement. “He is a very versatile player with strengths defensively and therefore opens up additional tactical possibilities for us.”
“I watched one of Youri’s matches live in the stadium this summer,” Bremen head coach Daniel Thioune added. “What I saw there was convincing. He is well trained and possesses good [field] vision. He will further increase the quality in our squad.”
