Sales depending on placement
© Imago
In the past five years, RB Leipzig has always had transfer income of at least 75 million euros. No German club took as much for players in the same period as the Saxons (for statistics). In the face of the current place, does six threaten the next change in summer? The slopes of “various factors”, sports director Marcel Schäfer said in an interview with “Rblive“. But it is certain: “I will definitely not go home in Europe and offer our top players.”
This means above all the Youngsters Xavi Simons (21), Castello Lukeba (22) and Benjamin Sesko (21). In addition to striker Loïs Openda (25), you have the highest market values in the RB squad and are often discussed in the rumor mill. The Simons, who is firmly committed in the winter for the record loss of EUR 50 million of EUR 50 million, is the only one without a clause.
“We are prepared for all scenarios and do our homework,” says Schäfer. With regard to Simons, it is clear that this “can be one of these players who would like to take a next step for themselves at some point. We made a large investment to keep it, and of course strive to not always sell, but to keep players over a longer period of time. But on the other hand, we also have an obligation to the club to act economically. ”
Leipzig wants to remain true to the transfer philosophy and, in the future, primarily “commit players who are young, hungry and capable of developing, accompany them and develop them into top players.” In addition, it always needs a axis of more experienced professionals who take them by the hand. Schäfer has been alluding to the past few weeks in which the sporting future of Péter Gulácsi (34), Kevin Kampl (34), record player Yussuf Poulsen (30, all contracts until 2026) and captain Willi Orbán (32, contract until 2027) always were made again in the media.
Master RB Leipzig? Not at eye level with FC Bayern
With regard to our own sporting ambitions, Schäfer said that he would say “before every season we want to play in every competition for titles. My athlete’s heart speaks. And everything else would not do justice to this club. We also only want fellow campaigners who think that way. To say it even more clearly: We don’t want an administrative mode! But where we have arrived, the air is relatively thin. ” Therefore, it is important to reflect on how a crisis like the current – in addition to the inconsistent occurrence in the Bundesliga, the red bulls in the league of the Champions League were created.
“We are not satisfied with international performance this season. We also see the end of the season as a character question. Yes, the permanent Champions League qualification is our goal, but is it a matter of course? No. This is the curse of the good act of the past few years – our job is to find a good balance, ”says Schäfer. Directly on the future of coach Marco Rose, he did not comment, but said: “The coach is and remains the decision -makers for what happens on the pitch – and I also have full trust and conviction.”
In order to seriously challenge FC Bayern in the fight for the championship, everything has to fit: “Every transfer should be sitting in our transfer philosophy, we would have to play into an absolute flow and we shouldn’t have any injuries.” Leipzig is not at eye level with the Munich residents: “Every club has to take into account its economic framework and must also be honest with himself. Does that mean that we never become German champions? No, it doesn’t mean. Of course we can become German champions. Leverkusen and other clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, VfL Wolfsburg or VfB Stuttgart have shown that you can be there when Bavaria weakens. “