Werder Bremen have signed Arsenal and Estonia goalkeeper Karl Hein on a season-long loan deal, handing the 23-year-old a chance to gain regular minutes in the Bundesliga.
The move comes after Bremen lost Michael Zetterer to Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this month. Hein, capped 39 times by Estonia, will now compete with Mio Backhaus for the No.1 shirt at the Weserstadion.
Hein spent last season on loan with Real Valladolid in Spain, making 32 appearances in La Liga. He previously had a spell in England with Reading, and his only first-team outing for Arsenal came in the 2022/23 Carabao Cup.
Bremen’s head of professional football Peter Niemeyer welcomed the addition: “We are delighted that we were able to fill the vacancy left by Michael Zetterer so quickly with Karl. We have signed a goalkeeper who impressed in La Liga last year and has also demonstrated his qualities for the Estonia national team.”
For Hein, the decision to head to Germany was straightforward. “For me, the decision to move to Werder was very easy,” he explained. “With such a traditional club with great fans and a beautiful stadium, I didn’t have to think twice. I’m looking forward to getting started in Bremen.”
At Arsenal, the pathway to first-team football has narrowed further. Despite signing a new contract last summer, Hein has found himself behind David Raya and recent arrival Kepa Arrizabalaga in Mikel Arteta’s plans. The loan move to Bremen is seen as a vital step for the Estonian’s development, offering him the chance to prove himself at a high level.
The switch marks only Arsenal’s third outgoing of the summer, following Nuno Tavares’ sale to Lazio and Marquinhos’ move to Cruzeiro. Sporting director Andrea Berta is still expected to oversee further deals before the close of the transfer window.
Bremen, coached by Horst Steffen, begin their Bundesliga season away to Frankfurt on Saturday, aiming to rebound from an early DFB Cup exit to Arminia Bielefeld.
