Anticipation of summer
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RB Leipzig has signed the next talent for the offensive. The Nigerian U20 international Suleiman Sani is moving from the Slovakian first division club AS Trencin to the Saxons, where he has signed a long-term deal. According to Sky, the transfer fee for the 19-year-old left winger is around 6 million euros including bonuses. In the race for the right-footer, the Red Bulls are said to have beaten wealthy and well-known competition.
In the transfer market rumor mill, Sani was linked to Brentford FC and Tottenham Hotspur from the Premier League as well as LaLiga clubs Villarreal and Sevilla FC. Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt were recently traded from the Bundesliga, among others. Trencin, for whom the transfer fee from Leipzig is a record, signed the attacker from Akwa United in his home country in 2024. Since then, Sani has scored five goals and five assists in 40 competitive games. In Nigeria he was previously successful eleven times in 19 games.
“With Suleman Sani, we have been able to sign a highly talented, young winger,” said Leipzig sports director Marcel Schäfer, assessing the transfer. “He has an exciting profile and all the skills to take the next stages of development at RB Leipzig. Suleman comes mainly from the left side, has a high pace, is difficult to separate from the ball due to his physicality and likes to look for depth. He also works intensively against the ball and has the right attitude.”
In Leipzig, Sani is seen as an anticipation of the summer, even if he comes in the winter, “because the opportunity has now arisen to sign him permanently,” said Schäfer. Before the season, they had already brought in two wingers, Yan Diomande (19) and right winger Johan Bakayoko (22). According to Schäfer, with Sani we will now have an “even broader and more variable positioning on the wings in the future. We will give Suleman all the time to find his way in the Bundesliga.” Diomande in particular, who like Sani comes from Africa and had little professional experience before moving to RB, took off and increased his market value from 1.5 million euros when he moved to 45 million euros. That brought interested parties like Bayern and PSG onto the scene.
After signing, new signing Sani said: “Moving to RB Leipzig is a big step for me and makes me very proud. I am particularly impressed by the way the club shapes young players, gives them trust and specifically supports them.”