Toprak has been working on his recovery with special exercises targeting his weak points, such as his ankle joint. “I’ve got everything well under control now,” he says. Pre-season preparation is doubly important for the player who was originally a loan signing, but made his move permanent earlier this summer. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic and stricter regulations on hygiene, he was barely able to see his teammates and had to watch their games on TV. Toprak was finally able to join his colleagues in Heidenheim and celebrated alongside them as Werder preserved their Bundesliga status. He now has time to get to know them all over again.
Many of his older teammates including his friend Nuri Şahin, Claudio Pizarro, Fin Bartels, Sebastian Langkamp, Philipp Bargfrede and the experienced Kevin Vogt are no longer part of the Green-Whites’ setup. “I’m one of the oldies now,” says the defender with a smile, but he has not changed that much. “I always try to speak to the younger players and let them know they can come to me with any questions they might have. I’ve played for a fair few clubs so I’ve seen a lot of young talents break through. I try to help the younger players by giving them pointers and helping them feel comfortable, so they can play to their potential.” Hopefully he’ll be able to be a role model for them out on the pitch more often in the upcoming season too.
