Mbangula leaves for Bologna as Werder seek to avoid costly transfer flop

Samuel Mbangula’s disappointing first season at Werder Bremen is over, but the club still has a chance to prevent its biggest transfer investment in seven years from becoming a major loss. The Belgian winger has returned to Italy on loan with Bologna.

Werder paid Juventus Turin about €10 million for Mbangula a year ago. He made 26 Bundesliga appearances in his first season, scoring three goals, but neither Daniel Thioune nor his predecessor, Horst Steffen, relied heavily on the expensive signing.

The move gives Werder two possible ways out. Mbangula could impress in Serie A and return to Bremen as a stronger player. Alternatively, Bologna could activate a purchase option next year. Media reports put the potential fee at €12.5 million, which would give Werder a small profit.

“

We still believe in him. We still see his great potential.

“We still believe in him. We still see his great potential,” sporting director Clemens Fritz said during a media session at the end of the transfer window. Fritz said Mbangula needed regular playing time and hoped he could rediscover his previous form in Italy, where he knows the surroundings and has played before. His new coach at Bologna is Domenico Tedesco, the former Schalke and Leipzig manager.

Fritz also said the expectations around an expensive signing can make immediate success seem mandatory. He pointed to the demands of the Bundesliga, including its intensity and speed, as well as the challenge of learning a new country’s culture and language. Mbangula also spent last year in Bremen without his family, which Fritz described as a difficult period.

“

Of course, the expectation is always that when you spend money, it has to work immediately.