RB Leipzig have announced that they have completed their first signing of the winter window as Ridle Baku joins from Wolfsburg.
Baku’s contract in the Autostadt expired at the end of the season meaning this was the last chance that Wolfsburg had to get a fee for him. The 26-year-old can act as a back-up to Benjamin Henrichs who will miss the restart of the Bundesliga season through injury.
As his contract was expiring, Baku joins Leipzig for €4.5m and signs a contract at the Red Bull Arena until 2027. On moving to Leipzig, Baku said:
“RB Leipzig is a big club with huge potential and ambitious goals, which is regularly represented in the Champions League and plays a fast-paced football that suits me very well with my style of play and my speed. The conditions in Leipzig are overall excellent for playing football successfully. When the opportunity to move arose, I was keen to take it. I am really looking forward to getting to know my new teammates, of whom I have already played with Xaver Schlager, and working together on the pitch.”
Baku is unlikely to be the last signing Leipzig makes this January. AC Milan’s Noah Okafor is likely to join the team as well. A final agreement with the Italian side still needs to be reached, reports Sky Germany, but the Swiss international is likely to join the club on loan with a buy option. Okafor has previously been in the Red Bull sphere having played for Red Bull Salzburg before moving to Italy.
Okafor’s arrival will then open the door for André Silva to finally leave Leipzig.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
