Werder Bremen starts training camp with 16-year-old goalkeeper

Bundesliga club Werder Bremen has officially commenced its pre-season training camp in Zell am Ziller, Austria, bringing a squad of 29 players. The team's preparations for the upcoming season are underway, with coach Daniel Thioune leading the sessions.

A notable inclusion in the squad is 16-year-old goalkeeper Calvin Seidler, who is part of the German U17 national team. Seidler's presence is a temporary measure, as the club's newly signed goalkeeper, Alexander Schlager, is still on leave following his participation in the World Cup with the Austrian national team. Similarly, other key players like Marco Friedl and Romano Schmid (both Austrian), and Cedric Itten (Swiss), are also on extended leave after their World Cup commitments.

Despite these absences, Werder Bremen has welcomed its new signings to the training camp. These include Spanish player Chuki from Real Valladolid, Frenchman Kenny Quetant from AC Le Havre, and Polish duo Oskar Wojcik from Cracovia Krakow and Dariusz Stalmach from 1. FC Magdeburg. Alongside Seidler, coach Thioune is providing opportunities for several other young talents from Werder's U23 team to impress during the professional training sessions. These emerging players include Darwin Soylu, Luca Höcker, Mats Heitmann, Stefan Smarkalev, Paul Erevbenagie, and Ramiz Hamouda.

During their stay in Zell am Ziller, Werder Bremen is scheduled to play two test matches. Their first opponent will be the Japanese club Fagiano Okayama on Wednesday at 5:30 PM. Following that, they will face second-division team VfL Bochum on Saturday at 1:00 PM. The training camp has also attracted a significant following, with several hundred Werder fans traveling to Austria to support the team.

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The 16-year-old German U17 national team goalkeeper Calvin Seidler was taken to Austria because the newly signed goalkeeper Alexander Schlager is still on vacation after participating in the World Cup with the Austrian national team.