"Jens was world-class," said Clemens Fritz after a northern derby in which Jens Stage had saved Werder’s bacon. Yet again. The Dane is by far Bremen’s best player, and he has been for so long that you have to ask: why hasn’t a club with more money snapped this man up yet? And why does his national team even choose to do without him?
In the 3-1 win over Hamburger SV, Stage scored a brace that gave Werder not only a major boost in confidence, but also three hugely important points. Without a win against their northern rivals, things would have looked very bleak for SVW in the relegation battle. After all, in the final four matches of the season they only face teams from the top half of the table (as of before matchday 31). Three of them are still fighting for a Champions League place.
Werder currently sit five points above the relegation playoff spot and seven clear of a direct relegation place. So this win was desperately needed. So badly needed, in fact, that Stage went into the game without being fully fit after a thigh injury. He risked his health to help Werder, because without him, almost nothing clicks. With nine goals, the midfielder is the north Germans’ top scorer this season. He had already claimed that in-house title last season as well. Back then with ten goals.
"What this guy gives us and the club is unbelievable. He’s irreplaceable," centre-back Amos Pieper raved, according to 'Bild', after the win in the northern derby. Stage himself, however, is not someone who seeks attention. Asked about his brace and his not-yet-healed injury, he merely said matter-of-factly: "Today I couldn’t track back that much. So maybe I was in a better position for goals." After that, he politely thanked the physio team, who had gotten him fit in time.
Statements like these are emblematic of the 29-year-old’s exemplary qualities: he is an extremely dangerous attacking midfielder, yet still modest, in the prime years of his career, and someone who gives everything for his teammates. With his powerful forward surges, his aerial strength and his good finishing, he helps the attack, but his physicality and ability in duels also make him valuable defensively.
A dream for any coach? Not quite. Stage has only made two appearances for the Danish national team.
It is something nobody at Werder can really explain. Yes, the competition in central midfield is strong with Morten Hjulmand (Sporting, market value €45 million on 'transfermarkt.de'), Victor Froholdt (FC Porto, €30 million) and Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford, €30 million), but that still does not explain why, for example, Philip Billing of FC Midtjylland was called up at the end of 2025 while Stage was not. Surely there should be room for him in the squad from time to time?
"I’d really rather not say too much about other players, but the quality is superb, I have to say that too. There are many, many very good central midfielders and the competition is extremely tough," Stage said at a press conference in November 2025. National coach Brian Riemer takes the combination of players he believes gives him the best chance of success, and he respects that.
Stage can hardly do much more than he already has to recommend himself, considering he is already his club’s lifeline. So does he need to move to a bigger club? It is often said that he dreams of the Premier League. But why has nobody there moved for a player who could leave Werder for a measly €15 million, as Werder reporters from 'Deichstube' recently speculated on their podcast?
There are likely several reasons. At 28 back then and now 29, he is probably already a bit too old for the absolute top clubs. Then there is the fact that Stage extended his contract with the Green-Whites until 2028 at the end of 2024. On top of that, he missed almost the entire pre-season last summer with a foot injury and was unavailable for the start of the campaign. That is likely to have put off many potential suitors.
Even more important, though, is likely the fact that Stage fully identifies with Werder and blocks many possible transfers himself: "I made it very clear to everyone involved that a move is only interesting to me if something very special comes along," he said at the end of 2025, according to 'Weser Kurier'.
A simple move to another mid-table team is not an option: "Together with my family, I feel very comfortable here at Werder and in Bremen. I love playing here, and I also love the intensity of the matches. If nothing special comes onto the table, then I don’t want to leave Werder."
In the end, then, it seems less like an answer to the question of why other clubs do not want Stage, and more like an answer to why Stage does not want them. Will Werder’s current relegation battle change his mindset and push him to seek a move to a less ambitious Premier League club after all? Maybe. Or perhaps Stage will simply carry on as he has so far and remain Werder’s world-class man, one who simply ignores offers from other clubs.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.