SC Freiburg have completed the signing of goalkeeper Mio Backhaus from Werder Bremen, with the move confirmed on 23 May 2026. German reports from Bild and Sky put the fee at around €15m, making the 22-year-old Freiburg's most expensive signing, surpassing the money paid for Ritsu Doan. Backhaus has signed a long-term contract at the Europa-Park Stadion running until 2031.
Freiburg's interest was driven by necessity as much as admiration. Sporting director Jochen Saier had watched Backhaus establish himself as Bremen's number one during the 2025/26 season and made clear the club rated his all-round game highly. "His calm and focused manner is contagious," Saier said. "He covers all facets of goalkeeping, and possesses great potential for development." Freiburg also needed a fresh option between the posts after their long-running goalkeeper, Noah Atubolu, stalled on a new contract during a season in which the club reached their first-ever Europa League final. Freiburg felt Atubolu had not conducted those talks respectfully, and with only a year left on his deal and a market value in the region of €25m, he is expected to be sold this summer rather than run down his contract for nothing.
For Werder Bremen, losing Backhaus is a significant blow on paper but not one that leaves them short of options. He made 32 Bundesliga appearances in his first full season as first-choice goalkeeper, keeping five clean sheets and playing a key role in Bremen retaining their top-flight status. His performances also earned him regular Germany under-21 caps and reported interest from Newcastle United. Bremen have moved quickly to cover his exit, converting Karl Hein's loan from Arsenal into a permanent deal and naming the Estonian international as their new number one.
Backhaus's rise has been rapid. After coming through Bremen's academy, he took over as first-choice keeper only recently, but quickly showed the composure and shot-stopping that made him one of the more sought-after young goalkeepers in the Bundesliga this season. His distribution and command of his box were regularly praised, and he produced eye-catching saves in Bremen's games against Freiburg, performances that are understood to have caught the attention of head coach Julian Schuster and the Freiburg hierarchy.
The player himself framed the move as a natural next step rather than a reluctant exit. "A door has opened, and I feel like I fit right through it," Backhaus said. "The whole package – the people, the city, the stadium, and Freiburg's style of football – led to this decision." Given Freiburg's Europa League run and reputation for developing players, the switch gives Backhaus a platform to build on his breakout season while stepping into a bigger role than he had at Bremen.
How he fits at Freiburg will depend partly on what happens with Atubolu, but the club have made their intentions clear by committing a record fee and a contract to 2031. Backhaus arrives as the long-term successor between the posts, tasked with anchoring a defence that will again be competing in Europe next season, while Bremen turn to Hein to try to build similar stability after a difficult campaign that ended in a scramble to preserve their Bundesliga status.