New RB Leipzig coach Demichelis bets on aggression and intensity

Program: Intensity and Aggression

Demichelis succeeds Ole Werner, who had left RB Leipzig after only one year, even though the club had finished third in the Bundesliga under him in the 2024/25 season and thus qualified for the UEFA Champions League. Sporting director Marcel Schäfer spoke of a „neue Zeitrechnung“ for the Saxon club in view of the coaching change.

Demichelis has signed his contract with RB Leipzig until June 30, 2028. Prior to that, he had extended his contract with Spanish first-division club RCD Mallorca in the summer before accepting the offer from Leipzig.

Squad: Gruda, Koné, and Reitz as New Additions

Looking at squad planning, Schäfer announced that attacking midfielder Brajan Gruda would soon join RB Leipzig's training. The 21-year-old is to be loaned again from Brighton & Hove Albion, this time with a purchase obligation agreed. Further new additions include Abdoul Koné and Rocco Reitz.

A transfer of French center-back Maxime Esteve was, according to Schäfer, not yet ready to be decided. Schäfer also emphasized the intention to keep players at the club for longer than one year: „Er soll seinen Urlaub genießen. Wir haben die klare Intension, dass wir Spieler hier mehr als ein Jahr begleiten sollen.“

Open Future: Diomande Between Leipzig and a Move

Another major topic at the presentation was the future of Ivorian winger Yan Diomande. The 19-year-old, who had attracted attention at the World Cup with the Ivory Coast national team, is listed by Transfermarkt as the biggest market value gainer and is being discussed by several top European clubs. According to reports, Diomande has already reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain on a contract until 2031. Liverpool FC had, according to available information, submitted a nine-figure offer, which RB Leipzig rejected; the club is demanding at least 130 million euros in transfer fees according to Transfermarkt.

Diomande himself had publicly stated before the round of 16 against Norway that he would leave the club. Demichelis countered this statement and referred to the existing contract: „Yan hat noch Vertrag, er muss zurückkommen. (...) Wir erwarten, dass er zurückkommt.“ Diomande, in turn, said: „Um den Rest werde sich sein Berater kümmern.“ Schäfer added that the player, as a dribbler, had further potential.

Looking at Bayern: Demichelis Stays Modest

The coach also reported that he had already been in contact with all the Leipzig players during the World Cup, including Diomande. Regarding the upcoming tasks, Demichelis formulated a clear ambition: „Im Fußball ist alles möglich. Bei Bayern müssen wir ehrlich sein: Wir müssen uns nicht mit Bayern messen. Aber unser Ziel ist immer, uns zu verbessern und näher an Bayern heranzurücken.“ He also pointed out that there is no limit to development in football.

According to the available data, RB Leipzig has a squad of 33 players and a total market value of 548.80 million euros. The club is based in Saxony and will compete in the Champions League after finishing third in the previous season.

Looking ahead to the further course of preparation, Demichelis announced that he would consistently continue along the chosen path. The new head coach made clear that he expects his players to be willing to play boldly in both directions – forward as well as backward. Schäfer overall spoke of a clear signal of a fresh start for the team, the staff, and the club's environment.