David Wagner takes over young talent at RB Leipzig - new impulses!

David Wagner takes over young talent at RB Leipzig - new impulses!

A new wind blows through the young department of RB Leipzig: David Wagner returns to Germany and takes over the management of this important division. He succeeds Manuel Baum, who ends for personal reasons after the 2024/2025 season. Wagner, who has been without a club since his release of Norwich City in May 2024, brings fresh optimism and extensive trainer experience to the exhibition city.

The goal of Wagner is clear: to sustainably improve the permeability from the young and professional area. Marcel Schäfer, Managing Director of Sport at RB Leipzig, is convinced that Wagner is exactly the right man to raise young talent to a new level. In conversations with Jürgen Klopp, who works as a "Head of Global Soccer" for Red Bull, Wagner was able to collect valuable impulses for this transition and to reflect on the development of young talents. Klopp convinced himself from Wagner's commitment and created the basis for this collaboration.

from the beginning to the new challenge

Wagner has already went through various coaching stations in his career, including at Huddersfield Town, where he celebrated the promotion to the Premier League in 2017. With Schalke 04, however, success was limited; After a series of 18 games without a win, he had to put his office down in 2020. His last stops in Bern and Norwich also did not go optimally. Now he not only wants to appreciate the successors of Baum in Leipzig, but also take a new path: "I am really looking forward to the challenge of redesigning the youth work at RB Leipzig," said Wagner.

A particularly important point in Wagner's planning is the close interlinking between the youth department and the professional team. "The child has to live his dream and not mean", so you could outline his basic attitude towards young talent. This approach, in which the talents are promoted in their individual development, could additionally sharpen the profile of the Leipzig Academy.

a fresh wind in talent promotion

Wagner not only emphasizes his joy in working with young players, but also the international awareness of the RB Academy. "Talents are encouraged and challenged here so that they can exist in the professional sector," he added. This requires a conclusive concept and the right structures, and that's where Wagner wants to start.

The coming months will be crucial to put the planned changes into practice. Wagner starts his new task with high expectations and has the very clear focus of optimally preparing Leipzig's youth player for the leap into professional sports. Cooperation with Jürgen Klopp and the support of Marcel Schäfer promise an exciting path-both for Wagner and for the talented U19 players.

We can be excited to see how this development will affect future player funding in Leipzig. The challenges are great, but with Wagner's experience and commitment, RB Leipzig could be on the right track in order not only to train talented players, but also to continue to strengthen the brand.

Further information on David Wagner's perspectives at RB Leipzig can be found at Derwesten.de and Transfermarkt.de .

A broader discussion about the need and strategies of promoting young talent in football can also be found on Spiegel.de .