“Improve permeability”
German trainer takes on a new role in Leipzig
06/13/2025 – 1:30 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
David Wagner returns to German football – but not as a coach. He now takes responsibility in the youth area.
RB Leipzig has found a new director for his young talent: David Wagner succeeds Manuel Baum, who will leave the club at the end of the season for personal reasons. The 53-year-old was last without a club after being released from Norwich City in May 2024.
Marcel Schäfer, Managing Director of Sport at RB Leipzig, said: “In the past few months we have set important course in the academy, together with David Wagner we want to permanently and sustainably improve the permeability in the professional area.”
Wagner recently spoke in Leipzig at the Wings Cup together with Jürgen Klopp about topics such as young talent development and switch to the professional area. Both trainers already know each other from Mainz’s Bundesliga times, where they were on the pitch for the FSV. Wagner was later even the best man from Klopp at his wedding. Now, as Head of Global Soccer, Klopp, who works at the Red Bull Group, brought his former companion and friend to Leipzig.
Wagner brings plenty of experience, among other things as head coach of Huddersfield Town, FC Schalke 04, the Young Boys Bern and most recently in the second English league. The promotion with Huddersfield Town to the Premier League in 2017 is one of his greatest successes. There was also a reunion with Klopp when Huddersfield played Liverpool FC.
Later Wagner Schalke 04 took over to the 2019/2020 season, but lost his post in the following season after a series of 18 winless games. In Bern he was released despite the second place in the table, and in Norwich City his term also ended without sporting success.