Who is Ezechiel Banzuzi? | OneFootball

Ezechiel Banzuzi: Who is RB Leipzig's new Dutch midfielder?

RB Leipzig have announced the summer arrival of Ezechiel Banzuzi move from Belgian Pro League side Leuven. Here's everything you need to know about the 20-year-old midfielder.

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Stats correct as of 9 April 2025

Ezechiel BanzuziAge: 20 (born 16 February 2005)Club: OH Leuven (RB Leipzig from 1 July 2025)Position: Central midfielderCountry: Netherlands (five U21 caps)

Key stats

Born in 2005 in Zwijndrecht in the Netherlands, Banzuzi started his career with NAC Breda, rising through the youth ranks before making his first-team debut in October 2021. The box-to-box midfielder made 59 appearances for the second-tier club, scoring seven goals and registering three assists.

Banzuzi swapped Breda for OH Leuven in the Belgian top flight in the summer of 2023. To date, he’s made 66 appearances in all competitions for the first division outfit, contributing four goals and six assists.

Banzuzi scored on his youth international debut for the Netherlands U17s in 2021, and is now a regular in the U21s. Impressive performances for club and country convinced Leipzig to make Banzuzi their first signing ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Watch: Ezechiel Banzuzi arrives at RB Leipzig

Plays a bit like: Ryan Gravenberch

Tall, strong, hardworking and intelligent, Banzuzi has been likened to fellow Dutchman Ryan Gravenberch, formerly of Ajax and Bayern Munich and now excelling in the English Premier League at Liverpool.

Like Gravenberch, Banzuzi is a Swiss army knife of a midfielder, capable of performing a wide range of functions and slotting into various roles. At Leuven, he has often been deployed just in front of the defence, where his positional awareness and composed distribution make him an ideal holding midfielder. He has also been given license to roam at times, joining attacks and looking to break into the opposition area to try and score and create goals.

Did you know?

If he hadn't become a professional footballer, Banzuzi would have liked to pursue a career as an actor. He loves watching TV series and lists Prison Break, Snowfall and Beauty in Black among his favourite shows.

What they’re saying

"We agreed with Eze that he will finish the season. In the summer we will definitely give him the next step. He has completely outgrown the competition. He plays on one leg." – Gyorgy Csepregi, technical director, OH Leuven

"I’m really pleased about the fact that my future lies with Leipzig. This club is known as being the perfect place for young players to develop their game at the highest level – there are countless examples of it. The club made it clear that they really wanted to sign me and also have clear plans for my future here.” – Banzuzi on his move to Leipzig.

"As a central midfielder, he likes to play a big part in the game. He’s a good passer of the ball and can be dangerous in the final third too, in particular from set pieces. He’s young, hungry, has lots of potential and is therefore exactly the kind of player we wanted to sign. We’re really pleased that Ezechiel wants to take the next step in his career with us.” – Leipzig board member Marcel Schäfer

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