"A successful rebuild" – Looking back on RBL's summer transfer window | OneFootball

Eight new signings, 18 departures, a new coaching staff and plenty of changes behind the scenes - this last summer saw plenty of movement at RB Leipzig. The club also have a busy deadline day behind them, with four players leaving the club and a new striker moving to Leipzig. Marcel Schäfer, board member for sport, spoke about the transfers made and the start of a new era at RB Leipzig.

Deadline-day arrival

"A day that will long be remembered," was how Marcel Schäfer summed up deadline day from RB Leipzig's perspective. Four players left the club on the final day of the transfer window, with the club also announcing the signing of center-forward Conrad Harder. The move came down to the wire, with the final paperwork only being submitted just seconds before the window slammed shut.

Harder is set to wear the number 11 shirt for the Red Bulls. "Conrad is a player who give his all each and every day, and he perfectly exemplifies the RBL DNA. He's young, ambitious and willing to learn, which makes him a perfect fit for our club," said Schäfer. "With both him and Rômulo, we have a solid pair of strikers who are also capable of playing alongside each other."

Back to our roots

At just 23 years old, Rômulo is the oldest of RB Leipzig's summer signings this year. As a result, the Red Bulls now have the joint-youngest squad in the Bundesliga, together with VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen. "We wanted to go back to our roots, namely by signing young, talented players with lots of potential who fully identify with RB Leipzig. We now have a squad that can usher in a new era," commented Schäfer.

A new core

Now, the team's veteran players will be tasked with helping the new signings settle in. Schäfer spoke about there being a new core to the team, featuring players such as David Raum, Xaver Schlager, Christoph Baumgartner, Willi Orban, Peter Gulacsi and Benjamin Henrichs.

"All of these players have been able to amass plenty of experience," he explained. "Not just at Leipzig, but with their national teams as well. These are the players that the younger ones will listen to. They need to set an example with their performances and be fully on board with our path here at RBL."

Competition in midfield and transfer rumours

Christoph Baumgartner did just that against Heidenheim, starting in central midfield in place of the since departed Xavi. The Austrian not only scored, but was also named the Man of the Match for his strong performance.

"We believe in his strengths and the qualities he brings to the table, as well as his character. That's why we never even considered making any changes in this area," Schäfer explained, also mentioning Assan Ouédraogo and Andrija Maksimovic. "Both are amongst the top talents in Europe."

With three players already competing for one position, Schäfer maintains that it "Wouldn't have made any sense" to sign a fourth, referring to the rumours surrounding the club's interest in Harvey Elliott. He added, "In that case, the players in our squad would have to question all the plans that we had previously laid out for them."

A healthy balance

RB Leipzig will now tackle the remainder of the season with 24 outfielders, three goalkeepers and two academy players in their first-team squad. "A healthy balance," said Schäfer, adding that the club had planned to head into the season with a squad of this size.

Several of the items on the management team's summer to-do list have therefore been ticked off. With a busy deadline day behind them, the club now head into the first international break of the season, before the Bundesliga picks up again with a trip to Mainz.

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