Leipzig finally sell off Novoa

Recently returned from his third consecutive loan stint, 21-year-old Spanish striker Hugo Novoa will be moving to his home country on a permanent basis. RB Leipzig confirmed the 10-times-capped Spanish youth international's permanent sale to La Liga's Deportivo Alaves late Monday evening. Sky Germany reports that the German Red Bulls have secured a transfer fee of €1.5 million for the prospect they initially signed back in 2019. 

Novoa netted two Bundesliga goals in 15 league appearances for Leipzig over the course of the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns. To date, he remains the youngest goal-scorer in the history of the young club. Despite a promising start, he was never able to crack the RB first team. The Saxons loaned him to Basel and Utrecht. Most recently, Villarreal found use for him on the reserve squad. He gained some experience as a winger and fullback. 

“After Hugo made his first appearances and scored his first goals in the Bundesliga as a youth player at RB Leipzig, he has finally arrived in the professional game thanks to his loans to Basel, Utrecht and Villarreal,” RB sporting director Rouven Schröder noted in a club released statement ”The move to Alaves in La Liga is a great next step in his development and a good solution for all parties.”