Leipzig extend with Novoa and loan out Wosz
RB Leipzig confirmed two transactions involving a pair of young attackers on Friday.
Germany's Saxon football club thinned their active roster by one on Friday afternoon. Nineteen-year-old attacking midfielder Joscha Wosz is off to Hallescher FC in the third footballing flight for the rest of the season. The youngster made just one brief Bundesliga appearance this season, playing nine minutes in relief at the tail end of the club's round 18 4-1 victory over FSV Mainz 05.
Though he featured very little, both previous RB trainer Jesse Marsch and current head-coach Domenico Tedesco considered him worthy of making the matchday squad often. Wosz made the bench selection a combined 11 times under the two gaffers. He also made the Champions' League bench squad once.
Wosz heads back to his hometown club, where he came up through the youth academy ranks before being plucked by Leipzig in 2015. The old "Chemie" club were most enthusiastic about welcoming the teenager back home. Wosz is the nephew of former Halle great Dariusz Wosz, who represented the East German club for six years just prior to reunification.
Herzlich willkommen in der Heimat, #JoschaWosz! 👆 #HFChttps://t.co/t9ne11XxiY
— Hallescher FC (@HallescherFC) January 21, 2022
Trainer Tedesco wished Wosz well in his Friday presser, noting that one of the RB's more valued prospects should get plenty of important playing practice.
Domenico #Tedesco: "Das Joscha Wosz nun auf Leihbasis zum Halleschen FC wechselt sehe ich positiv! In seinem Alter ist es wichtig, dass du regelmäßig spielst. Wir haben mit ihm ehrliche Gespräche geführt und wollten ihm diese Gelegenheit in Halle natürlich nicht verbauen." pic.twitter.com/hjNN8xOqjc
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) January 21, 2022
While Wosz may be a little ways from the first team, young Spanish attacking talent Hugo Novoa appears closer to cracking into the XI. The 18-year-old has made four relief appearances this season, even scoring a goal in round nine against SpVgg Greuther. Novoa has also made two Pokal appearances and scored a late goal in the 5-0 Champions' League thrashing of Brugge.
The club announced that the former Deportivo de La Coruna product had signed a contract extension through 2024. Novoa thanked the club and coaching staff for believing in him during the confirmation of the deal and noted that he looked forward to his future with the Saxons.
#RBLeipzig hat den Vertrag mit Sturmtalent Hugo #Novoa vorzeitig um zwei weitere Jahre bis 2⃣0⃣2⃣4⃣ verlängert ✍️🔴⚪🤝
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) January 21, 2022
➡️ https://t.co/FfEklZGMB3 pic.twitter.com/K2r3wK8sl0