Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simmons Or Lois Openda: Transfer Activity A Win-Win Situation For RB Leipzig

Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig had a busy summer transfer window that saw them active in the sale and purchase of multiple players. The club let some of its finest players, including Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons, and Lois Openda, leave in big-money deals. The club also brought in capable replacements for the departed players, especially with the money they fetched for Xavi and Sesko. However, Openda's case was quite unique, considering he only joined Juventus on a loan move.

Sesko was sold to Manchester United in a potential deal of EUR 85 million while Simmon joined North London side, Tottenham Hotspur, for EUR 60 million. Openda's move is a loan to Juventus, but with an obligation to buy if the club stays in the Serie A. Next summer, Leipzig would earn EUR 40 million for the forward once the obiligation clause triggers.

Speaking to NDTV in a media conference, the club's Managing Director of Sport, Marcel Schafer, called Openda's transfer to Juventus a "win-win situation" for all three parties.

"We always make our decisions on two factors, and these are sporting-wise and economically. If we can create a win-win situation like we did, it means that, sporting-wise, we need a good replacement. After two years with Lois Openda, we signed Conrad Harder," Schafer said.

Schafer, a former German international, hinted that the move materialized as Openda had expressed his desire to join Juventus, one of the top Serie A clubs. Hence, Leipzig tried to create a situation that benefited all parties.

"That was quite a good transfer to Juventus, and it's a good transfer in because even Harder is the same as with Yan Diomande. He's young, he's hungry, he's high potential. He already made a step out of Denmark to Portugal," he explained.

"Behind Viktor Gyokeres (for Conrad), it was maybe a little bit difficult, but even his statistics and his numbers were impressive for his age. So if we can create win-win situations, we always try to confirm our philosophy, and that was a good example and a successful story for everyone. Because in two years he scored so many goals, he was part of a successful story in two years."

The RB Leipzig Managing Director of Sport was also asked about the club's recent transfer business that saw them sell high-profile players, mostly to the Premier League, and bring in younger talent with big potential.

A similar trend has also been seen throughout the Bundesliga, making many question the league's ability to compete against other top leagues and clubs in Europe. While Schafer admitted that the Bundesliga is losing its top talent every year, he feels the league is still among the strongest in Europe.

"Of course, everyone, or we as a league and every club, tries to increase all the revenues, sportive-wise, economic-wise, commercial-wise. What we definitely have to do is to improve our academy level, to improve our own work in our academies, to improve the level, to increase the numbers of young players who make their way to the first teams.

"But on the other hand, if you see the last couple of years, we had a Champions League winner, we had a European League winner. So I think we are not on a bad way. I think we are really competitive, even though other countries, especially England, have way more economic power.

"So I think we are on a good way. Even if we lost maybe the best players every single year, we are still competitive, in my opinion," he concluded.

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