He has not started a league game for Leeds United since signing for the club
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
15:57, 12 Mar 2026
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Isaac Schmidt of Leeds United competes for the ball in pre-season(Image: Francisco Macia/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Werder Bremen director Clemens Fritz has underlined that his club have yet to make a decision over whether to trigger the buy-out clause of Leeds United loanee Isaac Schmidt.
Schmidt, whom Leeds paid around £3m for, secured a season-long loan to the Bundesliga outfit last summer after Switzerland boss Murat Yakin told him he would be in his World Cup squad should he secure regular game time.
Upon his switch to Bremen, Leeds attached a buy-out clause that is thought to be in the low millions but one that does not prompt a loss on United’s PSR books. Schmidt has undoubtedly earned more game time in Germany than he would have done at Leeds.
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The full-back, who can also play as a winger, has played 15 games and has started a third of them. He also scored on debut in a 3-3 draw with Bayer Leverkusen back in August.
However, in the last seven games, Schmidt has played only 101 minutes and has yet to complete a full 90 minutes throughout his whole stay. “It’s normal that he’s not happy with his current situation. Isaac did a decent job in his appearances,” director Fritz told DeichStube.
The jury is out on whether Bremen will ultimately trigger Schmidt’s purchase fee given Olivier Deman has usrped him in the pecking order, though Fritz insists a decision has not yet been made.
Speaking to BILD, he clarified: “It’s too early to say whether and how things will continue in the summer. We value Isaac highly for his versatility. His intensity and tenacity give every coach a good feeling.”
Schmidt failed to start a league game during last season’s Championship title campaign, also going from January until the end of March without playing in the league once. Two of his 14 Leeds appearances came when starting in the FA Cup.
While Schmidt’s future is unclear, it seems certain that fellow Leeds loanee Max Wober will not be staying at Bremen. He has yet to play in the Bundesliga having suffered a muscle tear before the league campaign began back in August.
Wober, who had two knee operations last season, also has a buy-out clause in his loan deal but while he hopes to return to action before the end of the season, it seems very unlikely Bremen keep hold of him. His Leeds contract does not expire until 2027, with Schmidt’s lasting until 2028.