RB Leipzig 2025/26 season preview: Transfers, pre-season, predicted lineup & predictions | OneFootball

The 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign marks the beginning of a new chapter for RB Leipzig, a club that has become synonymous with ambition, youth development, and constant evolution ever since their arrival in the top flight.

Following a turbulent 2024/25 season, in which Leipzig fell short of expectations and failed to secure European football, significant changes were inevitable. The appointment of Ole Werner as head coach represents a clear attempt to refresh the team’s identity and restore belief in their long-term project.

Werner, known for his tactical discipline and ability to implement structured pressing systems, inherits a squad that has seen both substantial reinforcements and painful departures.

However, Werner is not known to be a manager, who can regularly guide young talents into the first team - can he overcome this perception at Leipzig and prove that he is capable of balancing results with player development in a squad built heavily around emerging prospects?

The mood in Saxony ahead of the new season is one of cautious optimism: the talent pool is strong, the recruitment has been ambitious, and the players have shown flashes of promise in pre-season. However, this is also a side entering a period of transition, and whether Leipzig can immediately translate their potential into results remains one of the biggest questions heading into the new Bundesliga campaign.

Transfers:

Few Bundesliga clubs have been as active in the summer transfer window as RB Leipzig: The squad rebuild began early, with the club identifying clear needs in attack and midfield following the departure of key figures.

Johan Bakayoko, signed from PSV Eindhoven for €18 million, brings pace, dribbling flair, and creativity on the right wing, filling a gap that has lingered since the exit of Christopher Nkunku. Yan Diomande, arriving from Leganés for €20 million, adds another dynamic wide option with an eye for goal, while Ezechiel Banzuzi from OH Leuven (€16 million) and Andrija Maksimović from Red Star Belgrade (€14 million) represent shrewd investments in young midfield potential.

To bolster the defense, Max Finkgräfe has been brought in from 1. FC Köln for €4 million, offering depth and energy at left-back, while Brazilian forward Rômulo (€20 million from Göztepe) provides an additional attacking dimension - he is supposed to be the Šeško replacement and comes with a great resume of 17 goals and 10 assists last season. Lastly, Leipzig got in Arthur Vermeeren from Atlético Madrid on a permanent basis for another €20 million.

Altogether, Leipzig’s transfer outlay reached roughly €112 million - a clear statement from the club bosses.

The departures were just as noteworthy, particularly the headline move of Benjamin Šeško to Manchester United for €76.5 million. The Slovenian striker had developed into one of Europe’s most sought-after young forwards, and while his sale generated a substantial profit, his absence definitely leaves a void for the time being.

Other long-serving figures also departed, most notably Yussuf Poulsen, who ended his legendary tenure in Leipzig by joining Hamburg, and André Silva, who moved to Elche in Spain, after being linked to Werder Bremen for numerous weeks. Janis Blaswich left for Bayer Leverkusen, while Ilaix Moriba returned to Celta Vigo.

These exits represent more than just a reshuffling of personnel: they mark the end of an era and underline Leipzig’s ongoing commitment to refreshing their squad with emerging talent. The question now is whether the incoming signings can adapt quickly enough to provide immediate returns, or whether Leipzig will experience growing pains in the early months of the campaign.

Pre-season performances:

Pre-season provided Ole Werner with the opportunity to experiment with his ideas and test his squad against varied opposition. The results were promising overall, if slightly inconsistent, which is typical of a team undergoing tactical and personnel adjustments.

Leipzig opened with a routine 3-0 victory against ZFC Meuselwitz, a match that showcased their attacking sharpness and defensive organization. This was followed by an emphatic 7-0 thrashing of Toulouse, a result that underlined the devastating potential of their forward line when given space to attack. Against stronger opposition, however, Leipzig’s vulnerabilities emerged: a narrow 1-2 defeat to Atalanta highlighted issues with defensive transitions, and a pair of matches against RC Lens produced both a convincing 3-0 win and a disappointing 1-2 loss.

Throughout these matches, Loïs Openda emerged as Leipzig’s standout performer, scoring five goals in five games and demonstrating that he is ready to take on a leadership role in the absence of Šeško. His pace, movement, and finishing ability make him the focal point of Werner’s attack, and much of Leipzig’s success this season will depend on his ability to consistently deliver in front of goal.

In competitive action, Leipzig began their DFB-Pokal campaign with a 4-2 victory away at Sandhausen, a match that again emphasized their attacking threat but also raised concerns about defensive lapses. Overall, pre-season painted a picture of a side that is potent going forward but still ironing out its defensive structure under Werner’s new system.

Predicted starting lineup:

4-3-3: Gulácsi - Baku, Orbán, Lukeba, Raum - Seiwald, Schlager, Xavi - Bakayoko, Openda, Diomande

Based on pre-season selections and the profiles of the new signings, Ole Werner is expected to deploy a 4-3-3 formation that emphasizes pressing, compactness, and rapid transitions into attack. Péter Gulácsi, the experienced and reliable Hungarian international, most likely remains first choice in goal. Watch out for Maarten Vandevoordt, though: he could make the next step in this season.

In defense, the central partnership of Willi Orbán and Castello Lukeba offers a blend of leadership, physicality, and mobility, while David Raum provides width and attacking drive from left-back. On the opposite flank, new signing Ridle Baku is likely to take the starting spot at right-back, giving Leipzig a fullback pairing capable of stretching play and supporting the press.

In midfield, Nicolas Seiwald is expected to act as the anchor, breaking up play and recycling possession, while Xaver Schlager provides a box-to-box presence with his energy and technical ability. Xavi Simons, who could still move to another club, but is central to Leipzig’s plans as of right now, will operate as the creative fulcrum, linking midfield and attack with his dribbling, vision, and flair. Arthur Vermeeren, Ezechiel Banzuzi and Christoph Baumgartner all provide great coverage in the midfield.

The front three will likely feature Johan Bakayoko on the right, Loïs Openda as the central striker, and Yan Diomande on the left, though Rômulo Cardoso and Antonio Nusa will certainly compete for minutes across the frontline as well. This attacking trio offers pace, unpredictability, and pressing intensity - qualities perfectly suited to Werner’s philosophy.

Predictions for the upcoming season:

Leipzig’s goals for the 2025/26 season are clear: return to the Champions League, re-establish themselves as Bayern Munich’s closest domestic challenger, and begin laying the foundations for a squad capable of competing for major honors in the coming years.

While Bayern remain overwhelming favorites for the Bundesliga title, Leipzig will expect to battle Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen for second, third and fourth place, with many pundits predicting that Leipzig will finish comfortably within the top four. Anything less would be considered a failure given the investment made this summer and the talent within the squad.

The DFB-Pokal also represents a realistic opportunity for silverware, and with no European distractions, Leipzig may have the luxury of focusing their resources on domestic competitions. Ultimately, this season feels like a transitional yet ambitious one: the squad is younger, hungrier, and perhaps less predictable than in previous years.

If their new signings settle well and Openda continues his blistering form, Leipzig could very well surprise many by not just returning to Europe, but pushing further up the table than expected.