A special goal: Milot Rashica, here with Maximilian Eggestein, scored for Werder against RB Leipzig in May 2019. (north photo)
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How meticulously the specialists of the top Bundesliga club RB Leipzig are following Bremen player Milot Rashica was demonstrated a year ago. In a telephone call with the WESER-KURIER, the then Leipzig coach and sports director Ralf Rangnick rattled down the footballing and physical advantages, but also the individual tactical deficits of the Werder attacker, as if he were reading aloud from a scouting analysis. But at that time Rangnick was not sitting in front of the data on Rashica, but was able to say all of this out of his head in detail. It was clear, said Leipzig’s mastermind Rangnick in May 2019, “that we have such a player on our radar”.
Rangnick also made it clear that young and viable players like Rashica, then only 22 years old, not only look at the then seven back goals, but also at things like his backward movement, individual paths or tactical discipline. That was why it was clear that the conversation could be understood at the time that Rashica was not yet a player for a club like RB Leipzig, because it might be a good thing if the attacker continued his very steep learning curve at Werder for another season – in order to really reach the top one day at the top clubs.
Today Baumann is happy about it
Werder’s sporting director Frank Baumann was relieved in those weeks around the 2019 season finale that RB Leipzig had not yet made an offer for the fast Werder attacker. After all, Baumann and his head coach Florian Kohfeldt didn’t want to lose another regular after Max Kruse, but wanted to keep the squad together, with Rashica as the key figure.
Today, almost a year later, things are different. Rashica has added ten more competitive goals and five assists to its statistics so far this season, including very impressive hits against the top German clubs Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. Rangnick is no longer a trainer in Leipzig, but still pulls a lot of strings in the background. And Baumann would now be a very happy manager if a club would pay the transfer, which was anchored in Rashica’s contract for the summer: about 38 million euros. Even if Rashica’s adviser, the player himself and his ex-club Vitesse Arnheim participate in this sum, enough would remain with Werder to wipe a sweat bead from his forehead in times of the corona crisis.
Nagelsmann absolutely wants the player
The Werder bosses at Osterdeich can lay out the handkerchiefs for this. As the WESER-KURIER learned from a safe source in the Werder environment, Rashica is now facing a million-dollar move to RB. The discussions between the decision-makers in Leipzig and the management of the player are so advanced that an official announcement of this transfer may be expected even this month.
It is no longer likely that other interested clubs can still successfully position themselves and prevent this transfer because RB coach Julian Nagelsmann absolutely wants the Bremen striker on his team and personally convinced the player to work together. Since then, Rashica should also be clear that a move to Liverpool, which is also interested, could come too soon for him. In Leipzig, the striker can count on large game shares in the Champions League, in Jürgen Klopp’s world-class squad in Liverpool, on the other hand, he would only be significantly less minutes safe if he was realistic.
RB is a good customer in times of crisis
For Werder, RB Leipzig is also a very welcome customer because, thanks to the millions from the Red Bull empire, the club is a reliable business partner even in times of the Corona crisis, and is serious about a transfer with a total volume of almost EUR 40 million and can process early. This brings Werder valuable planning security in what is probably the most difficult economic crisis in the history of the club and also helps to secure liquidity. Leipzig, in turn, would like to oblige the player at an early stage in order to take him off the market. In this case, it doesn’t seem to matter whether Werder will continue to play in the Bundesliga or only in the second division. Other clubs had speculated on getting Rashica cheaper in the event of a relegation in Bremen.
Another point is crucial in the Leipzig transfer plans with Rashica: Namely, that the club loses national team player Timo Werner, whether to Bayern or to Liverpool. Media reports appeared on Friday, according to which Chelsea FC is now interested in Werner. Egel where to: Werner’s sale brings RB Leipzig a high transfer fee – and Rashica almost certainly a regular place in the Nagelsmann team.
There are only winners
When changing from Rashica there will only be winners: Werder Bremen, who will receive the hoped-for transfer fee. RB Leipzig, which gets its dream player. And Milot Rashica, who continues to advance his career consistently and in sensible steps, thanks to his level-headed consultant Altin Lala, who in January 2018 had already chosen Werder Bremen as a suitable next step for his highly talented client. As you know today, it was a good plan.
In addition to RB Leipzig and Liverpool, FC Southampton was one of the interested clubs early on, FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund at least knocked out the change modalities. In Dortmund, Rashica was on an extended list, but was never the trainer’s preferred candidate. The situation in Leipzig is different: Nagelsmann still sees plenty of potential in 23-year-old Rashica, which he now wants to tease out of the fast and powerful attacker on the European stage.
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