Werder's 10 million euro man raises high expectations

Samuel Mbangula arrived from Juventus as a desired and expensive signing. The fact that his breakthrough came just eleven months ago increases the pressure on the Belgian.

At 1.79 meters, Samuel Mbangula is certainly not a giant by football standards, but Werder Bremen hopes that his transfer coup will soon turn him into a big player.

That's a lot of pressure on the 21-year-old Belgian, who moved from Juventus Turin to Werder Bremen for the hefty sum of ten million euros. The club had previously spent more only on Davy Klaassen (13.5 million euros). This puts even more pressure on the young striker's narrow shoulders, as this transfer fee naturally comes with high expectations.

The fact that the sum for which Mbangula joined Werder Bremen on a five-year deal is known is due to the fact that Juventus Turin is a listed club and is required to disclose its business dealings. Bremen usually likes to keep contract details secret, but this time it is also known that Werder will pay the Italians the transfer fee in four installments.

So, Mbangula carries a high price tag, which he'll have to live up to from day one at the training camp. Although the Belgian brought his own social media cameraman with him to Zillertal, Werder's dream player isn't a loudmouth. Quite the opposite. Managing Director Clemens Fritz described Mbangula as a "reserved, but also open, guy."

His former Turin coach and mentor, Thiago Motta, describes Mbangula as down-to-earth. A trait that should help him cope with his rapid rise. The Belgian's career only really took off a year ago. Previously, he played with Juventus' youth team in the third division before Motta gave him a chance in Serie A.

Mbangula took advantage of this with a goal on his debut, and suddenly the hype surrounding the young talent was there. He wasn't prepared for it, and he didn't like it either. His life changed completely, Mbangula reported afterward: "I wasn't ready for it. I liked it better before."

His talent was noticed early on, and Club Bruges signed him at the age of ten. Mbangula lived with his family in Anderlecht, 100 kilometers away. Since then, he has played as a promising player with a bright future. Werder Bremen will now decide whether this has been too much of a burden for his still young career or whether he can live up to expectations.

His mentor Motta, who was dismissed in Turin in March, is firmly convinced of Mbangula's future: "When he makes a mistake, he doesn't let go, he never lets his head hang, he's always alert – that's what I want to see. He's a young guy, growing up fast." Werder hopes the investment will pay off this season, but is still tempering expectations for the training camp, at least.

"We want to build him up slowly now, not burn him out or force him into a cold start," explained Fritz. "That's why we'll give him time and gradually get him used to the workload." Mbangula is unlikely to be available for the first friendly match of the training camp on Saturday. However, the young striker probably can't and probably won't get too much time. The loss of Mitchell Weiser is a heavy blow for Werder, and if Marvin Ducksch is transferred, Mbangula will have to get up to speed very quickly.

This topic in the program: Sportblitz, July 24, 2025, 6:06 p.m.

• Werder Bremen
• football
• Bundesliga