Superliga leaders FC Copenhagen have sold their energetic captain Thomas Delaney to Bundesliga side Werder Bremen.
The transfer, which is reported to be worth in the region of 15 million kroner, will take place at the beginning of 2017, leaving the Danish champions with their inspirational leader for the first half of this season and, perhaps more importantly, for their upcoming European campaign.
“I am pleased that my future is now in place and that we have done so without putting FCK in a difficult situation,” said Delaney.
“I very much look forward to playing in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen, but over the next six months there is only one thing that counts for me, and that is to deliver everything I have in me for FC Copenhagen. We have some very important days ahead of us, which I look forward to being a part of.”
Delaney, 24, is a FCK club man through and through. Since coming through the youth ranks in 2009, the midfield dynamo has amassed 224 matches, scoring 19 goals and getting 15 assists.
His importance to FCK over the past two years has been immense, and his sterling play has won him nine caps for the Danish national team.
Delaney, who is also of Irish-American descent, will continue to play a leading role for the national team, according to new Denmark coach Åge Hareide.
“This is a win-win solution for all parties,” said Anders Hørsholt, the chief executive of FCK’s owner, Parken S&E.
“We have long known that Thomas has the ambition to test his talent in a major league and he deserves to get the opportunity. At the same time we have a great desire to have Thomas in our squad in an exciting and important autumn for the club in both the Superliga and Europe.”
Delaney could be joined by one of his teammates at Bremen as the club’s Swedish left back, Ludwig Augustinsson, is also on the German team’s radar.
Werder Bremen’s sporting director, Frank Baumann, confirmed that talks were ongoing.
