By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Leipzig updates: RB's first offer for Lukeba rejected, Eberl turns down Galatasaray lowball bid for Angelino

France's preeminent sporting publication is now reporting that RB Leipzig's initial offer for defender Castello Lukeba has been rejected. 

Germany's preeminent footballing publication and its main sporting tabloid also reported today that club chief personnel executive Max Eberl continues to meet with spiraling price demands for his transfer targets Loïs Openda and Lutsharel Geertruida.

Kicker Magazine at least reports that Eberl is holding his own with regard to Galatasaray Istanbul's pursuit of Spanish wingback Angelino, turning down an initial lowball offer from the Turkish Champions. 
Max Eberl.
Max Eberl.
In the print edition of Germany's preeminent footballing publication (Kicker Magazine) that hit the newsstands today, the chief personnel executive responsible for running RB Leipzig's front office was described as being "mired in a price trap". RB boss Max Eberl finds himself in the exceptionally difficult position of having virtually all of his offers for intended transfer targets rejected.

Reasons for this remain fairly straightforward. European clubs keenly aware of how much Leipzig have taken in with the outgoing transfers of Dominik Szoboszlai and Christopher Nkunku (and possibly soon Josko Gvardiol) keep insisting that Eberl and colleagues must pay top dollar for their players. It is such that Eberl has been repeatedly rebuffed in his attempts to acquire Loïs Openda and Lutsharel Geertruida.

Kicker and Germany's Sport Bild tabloid now report that both deals are in danger of collapsing. Eberl may find his negotiations with RC Lens (for Openda) and Feyenoord (for Geertruida) simply untenable. Sport Bild now claim that Openda's club want €50 million for their striker while Feyenoord will not settle for less than €40 million for Geertruida.

To make matters more complicated, France's L'Equipe now claims that Olympique Lyon rejected a €26 million (plus bonuses) offer for targeted defender Castello Lukeba earlier in the day. The Ligue 1 club reportedly wants a base transfer of €30 million and potentially some re-sale clauses. It may very well be back to the drawing board when it comes to Eberl's pursuit of all three players.

The latest on the reported interest in Spanish wingback Angelino by Galatasaray Istanbul (noted by Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano yesterday) is that the German and Turkish side are chasms apart on a potential transfer fee. Kicker claims that the Turkish champions offered Eberl only €5 million for the 26-year-old.

The former Man City academy product maintains a current estimated market worth of well over double that. Eberl is, per Kicker, not prepared to consider an offer below €18 million for his recent loan returnee. Another loan could conceivably be arranged, but Eberl could probably find a club willing to pay much more for the Galician's services.
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