Sky Report: Eberl in line for Leipzig's sporting director position
Germany's Sky outfit currently reports that RB Leipzig are negotiating with former Gladbach manager Max Eberl in an effort to fill the club's long-vacant sporting director position.
RB Leipzig's ongoing search for a sporting director to serve under club sporting CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has turned into something of a running joke in German footballing circles. The post has remained vacant since previous occupant Markus Krösche took the Eintracht Frankfurt job some 14 months ago.
Time after time, Mintzlaff has publicly stated that the search for a replacement neared its conclusion. Despite numerous updates, the German Red Bulls have not introduced a new manager to fill the position. In a recent pre-season interview published on the club's website, Mintzlaff explained that they had come close at the end of last season.
"In the weeks after the Cup final, we turned down the candidate with whom we had come to terms with for a variety of reasons," the CEO noted, "One reason for this was that, at the same time, another door surprisingly opened for us, giving us a great opportunity."
"We will regrettably not yet be able to present this said sports director in July," Mintzlaff continued, "We will continue through the current transfer period in the existing constellation of the sporting management, presenting our new sporting director at the end of it for obvious reasons."
The transfer window will not slam shut for another month, but Sky Germany is now reporting that former Gladbach executive Max Eberl may be the "great opportunity" Mintzlaff was referring to. After eight months rest to relieve his self-described "burn out", the long-time German football administrative mainstay may already feel himself prepared to get back in the game.
Sky claims that the 48-year-old is indeed the man standing in Mintzlaff's open door and that negotiations on a finalized contract are in an "advanced stage". The German broadcaster takes Mintzlaff at his word that Eberl won't take over the post for another four weeks.