NABY KEITA has been ordered to leave Werder Bremen after refusing to board the team bus.
The Guinea international joined his current club from Liverpool on a free transfer last summer.
He penned a three-year deal through to 2026 but has now been told he is free to leave the Bundesliga side.
Keita has been suspended and banned from the first-team since April after refusing to board the team bus.
The incident came about after he found out he was not starting their league clash with Werder Bremen.
Just over six months on, manager Ole Werner has now said Keita needs to leave.
He told Kicker: “I do believe that we have been very, very humane and very, very transparent with him at all times since he joined us.
“Keita is not our issue right now, and I believe that it’s best for both sides to simply look ahead and into the future, to see what good solutions Naby can find for himself and what solutions we can find without him.”
However, Keita has claimed he apologised for the incident, although Werner is not aware of it.
The Bremen boss added: “It could be that it somehow happened in the meantime, it just wouldn’t have reached me.”
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Meanwhile, Keita explained to The Guardian: “In my last year at Liverpool, I didn’t play much and when I arrived here, I was motivated.
“We’ll have to talk about the bus incident one day, but everyone who knows me knows that I’m a professional and that I’m not undisciplined.
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“Despite everything, I apologised to the group even before the end of last season because we’re all human and nobody’s perfect.
“Wherever I’ve been, from Salzburg to Leipzig to Liverpool, I’ve always tried to be exemplary.”
The 29-year-old continued: “A lot of people say to me: ‘Naby, you’re injured, why don’t you want to play for Bremen?’ I say: ‘No, I’m fine.’
“Since I came back from the Africa Cup of Nations [in February], all I’ve wanted to do is play for the fans and the club. But it’s not up to me.
“The club decided to put me with the under-23s. I’m training with them and helping the youngsters while I wait for the wheels to turn.
“The fans have shown me a lot of love and they deserve to see me return that love on the pitch.”
Keita won seven trophies in five years at Anfield, including the Champions League, but has made just five appearances for Bremen.
He has not been included in a matchday squad since the bus incident in April, with his last appearance coming the previous month.
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