Justin Njinmah ahead of schedule in injury recovery

Justin Njinmah is making faster-than-expected progress in his rehabilitation after suffering a serious thigh muscle injury nearly four weeks ago.

The Werder Bremen forward has now returned to outdoor training, offering the club renewed hope about his comeback.

The 25-year-old did not yet join team exercises on Monday. Instead, he worked separately with fitness coach Gunther Stoxreiter, a short distance from the main group. Njinmah was able to sprint and complete ball drills, including passing exercises and finishing practice.

Werder’s head of professional football, Peter Niemeyer, said: “Justin feels good and is making progress in his rehabilitation.” The club is still determined to manage the striker carefully, despite the positive signs.

Niemeyer added: “We are continuing to exercise caution, but it is not impossible that he could return to the pitch this year.”

Werder initially expected Njinmah to face a lengthy absence, so a potential return before the end of 2026 would represent a significant boost. No firm comeback date has been announced, and his next objective is to increase his workload before rejoining full team training.

Once fit, Njinmah will face competition from Eren Dinkci and Marco Grull for attacking minutes. For now, his rehabilitation remains the priority.