Recent reports from Germany suggest Isaac Schmidt may head back to West Yorkshire earlier than planned because Werder Bremen are stalling on his €3m purchase option. This update comes from a BILD report, via Sport Witness , where Werder director Clemens Fritz discussed the defender's difficult run.
While the Bundesliga side originally saw the 26-year-old as a key part of their defensive rotation, he has barely made a dent on the pitch this season. The German club took the Swiss-Nigerian full-back on loan from Leeds United last summer, landing what looked like a great deal for a versatile backup.
But the move has not gone to plan, and Schmidt is currently struggling for regular minutes in Germany. Even with injuries hitting the team's regular left-backs, the defender failed to win over Horst Steffen or Daniel Thioune for a starting spot.
Things got tougher in January when Olivier Deman signed for the club, effectively dropping Schmidt to third choice. Clemens Fritz recently admitted the club is hesitant about a permanent move, saying it is too early to decide in the summer. While he mentioned he likes the player's work rate, he didn't offer any guarantees about his future.
BREMEN, GERMANY – JANUARY 16:
Isaac Schmidt of Werder Bremen in action during the Bundesliga match between SV Werder Bremen and Eintracht Frankfurt at Weserstadion on January 16, 2026 in Bremen, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
This creates a bit of a headache for Leeds United as they look at their defensive options for next season. Isaac Schmidt is a full Switzerland international with five caps since his 2025 debut, which usually helps a player's price tag. However, during this 2025/26 Bundesliga season, he has only played about 471 minutes across 13 games, scoring once.
He is fast and hits hard in a tackle, but his positioning and crossing have been major weak spots. Since Leeds already have Gabriel Gudmundsson and James Justin , Schmidt would likely just be stuck on the bench again if he stayed at Elland Road.
Looking at it from a different angle, Leeds United might be better off cutting their losses rather than trying to fit in a player who has spent a whole year out of favour. If Bremen pass on the deal, the club should put him on the market immediately to get a decent fee while he still has two years left on his contract.
Selling him now makes more sense than another loan. Leeds United need to sell him to raise cash for their own signings, as Schmidt just hasn't shown the consistency needed to break into the current starting eleven.
