Ole Werner: "I hadn't planned to change clubs this summer!"
It was quite a surprise when former Werder Bremen coach Ole Werner was let go after rejecting a contract renewal - he was promptly swooped up by RB Leipzig, who were looking for a new coach for the 2025/26 season.
"I hadn't planned to change clubs this summer. But it just so happened that Marcel and RB Leipzig approached me quite early on. We then developed a feeling for whether it would be a good fit", said Werner on his first press conference as coach of RB Leipzig.
Werner has also had talks with RedBull football chief Jürgen Klopp - and both agreed on the idea of how they want RB Leipzig to play football: “We quickly agreed on how we want to play football here - an active, aggressive style with an open visor.” - which means, Werner is aiming for a high-press, aggressive, attacking philosophy from day one.
The 37-year-old coach has also talked about his goals with Leipzig: "The clear mission is to qualify for European competition again - and put no limits on how high we can go.”
However, it remains to be seen what the squad, that Werner will work with, will look like. Timo Werner, once a celebrated goalscorer who became an international player in Leipzig, is said to have no future in Leipzig after returning on loan from Tottenham Hotspur despite having a contract until 2026.
“Everyone knows exactly where he stands,” said Leipzig managing director Marcel Schäfer, who was also present at the presentation, with a general view of the players and the club's plans.
RB Leipzig are planning to build a squad that consists of around 25-26 players, which means that many players are still believed to be sold by the end of the transfer window - Leipzig have currently around 35 first-team players on their books.
Timo Werner is linked with a move to partner club NY Red Bulls, while club legend Yussuf Poulsen is reportedly in talks with HSV. Star players like Benjamin Šeško or Xavi Simmons are also not guranteed to stay at the club - let's see, what the squad will eventually look like come the start of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season.
