Leipzig ‘Lost our DNA’ before Klopp-inspired reboot, says Sporting Director

After the worst top-flight season in their history, RB Leipzig underwent a club-wide settlement, led by new head of Football Jurgen Klopp.

The result was a huge summer overhaul, where Leipzig said goodbye to their entire forward line.

Xavi Simons moved to Tottenham, Benjamin Sesko went to Manchester United and Lois Openda joined Juventus.

When the trio arrived in Leipzig in 2023, they were expected to establish a new period of success in Saxony.

They all left without winning a trophy.

«To be honest, we may have lost a bit of our DNA,» RB Leipzig -sports director Marcel Schaefer told AFP and other media in September.

Back to the roots

After winning a second consecutive German cup in 2022-23, it seemed that the club supported by Red Bull finally made the promise that followed his debut promotion in 2016.

The next campaign, however, ended, Leipzig finished fourth, 25 points behind champion Bayer Leverkusen.

In 2024-25, Leipzig lost seven of the eight matches in the Champions League and finished seventh in the Bundesliga, this season fell very European football.

The club fired Leipzig mentor Marco Rose-a friend of Klopp’s and the longest serving coach in its history.

By trying to imitate the biggest and best in Europe, Leipzig had lost his way.

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«What makes RB Leipzig so successful?» Schaefer said about the extensive post -mortem of the club.

“Red Bull Style means high intensity against the ball, high urgent, counterattacks.

«We cannot change the entire philosophy and say:» Ok, now we are a team that just wants to play and play and possess and possess and have possession «.

«We are not such a team. It is not authentic.»

In the summer of 2023, Leipzig had spent 40 million euros ($ 46.7 million on the current exchange rates) on Openda, more than Bundesliga -Rivalen Dortmund or Leverkusen once spent on one player

The following summer, Leipzig spent 50 million euros to make midfielder Simons’ loan agreement permanent.

In the first summer transfer window at the helm at the helm, Schaefer said that «the main goal went back to the roots».

Heavy Metal Leipzig?

Schaefer said that no one was better suited to lead the revision than Klopp, a manager known for a style with high intensity that the former Liverpool coach called ‘Heavy Metal Football’.

«Jurgen Klopp is the head of global football. He is responsible for all teams, for the playing identity, for the feature philosophy.»

“Of course it is not really a big surprise if we are talking about counterattacks, high urgent, intensity against the ball, intensity with the ball.

“This is Red Bull style, but if you followed Jurgen Klopp’s career, it was the same in Mainz, the same at Borussia Dortmund and the same in Liverpool.

«So there is a match.»

In Rose’s Place came manager Ole Werner, who became a member after years of over -performance at Werder Bremen.

«In total we made 26 transfers. It was really a big change and everyone knows,» said Schaefer.

Leipzig brought in several promising young people. Newcomers Conrad Harder, Arthur Vermeren, Yan Diomande, Johan Bakayoko and Ezekiel Banzuzi have an average age of 20.

Leipzig has been a springboard for various of Europe’s best, including Christopher Nunku, Josko Gvardol, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Dani Oolmo, Dani Kimmich and Mathemus Cunha.

Schaefer admits that pulling out the next diamond is becoming more challenging and says that «they are not more difficult to find, but more difficult to buy».

“Five to six years earlier there were only a few clubs that really focused on young, hungry, high potential players and developed them.

«Now even the top teams in England are trying to sign the best talents.»

In Klopp, however, Leipzig has a recruitment strump card.

Bakayoko, coveted by clubs in Europe, told AFP In August a phone call with Klopp was the «Trigger Point» in his decision to become a member of Leipzig.

«When I had the conversation with Jurgen Klopp, I thought,» Ok, I have to go «.»

Published on September 26, 2025