Dominik Szoboszlai: RB Leipzig’s $27.5 Million Investment Scouted

Dominik Szoboszlai has been one of the most in-demand midfielders in European football. The Red Bull Salzburg playmaker had offers from Milan, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid. Arsenal also appeared hopeful but were always outsiders due to their lack of Champions League football. But instead, it appears that Szoboszlai will join RB Leipzig, following the path of 18 players that have previously moved between the two clubs. 

As reported by Transfermarkt on Dec. 2, a deal very much hinged on Salzburg’s Champions League future. The Red Bulls went into the final matchday with a chance of advancing to the round of 16 of the Champions League. But a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid buried the Austrian Bundesliga side’s Champions League hopes beyond this fall and also cemented Szoboszlai’s future away from the club. 

On Friday, Sky reported what was already an open secret by many that follow the German Bundesliga. Szoboszlai has decided to join RB Leipzig. Officially, Szoboszlai will cost Leipzig €25 million ($27.5 million), Salzburg will also receive a buy-on option. The two clubs close connection through Red Bull, however, make the transfer a formality. The Athletic reported earlier this month that any club wanting to activate the clause would have to pay the amount in one installment. Even under normal circumstances, that would have been difficult for many clubs—at a time of COVID, that clause eliminated almost any club interested. 

Without a doubt, RB Leipzig will secure one of the most promising attacking players in European football. The Hungarian national team player has been in formidable form this season, scoring eight goals and nine assists in 19 games across all competitions. Szoboszlai, together with teammate Noah Okafor, also leads the Austrian Bundesliga with 66.67% of smart passes completed this season—he ranks eight overall for most smart passes played this season. Szoboszlai, in fact, is the key man when it comes to playing the deadly pass into the box. The Hungarian managed 2.73 deep completions per 90 minutes this season (20 overall), once again the most in the Austrian Bundesliga. 

There is, however, a caveat. At Salzburg, Szoboszlai had an outlet in prolific strikers Mërgim Berisha, Patson Daka, and Sekou Koita. At RB Leipzig, the situation has been slightly different, with new strikers Alexander Sørloth still getting used to life in the Bundesliga and South Korean striker Hee-chan Hwang still recovering from COVID-19. Against Bayern Munich and Manchester United, head coach Julian Nagelsmann, therefore, opted to play without a true number 9, instead Dani Olmo and Emil Forsberg—aided by the fast Justin Kluivert and Christopher Nkunku—rotated in and out of the center-forward role, with some great effect.

Szoboszlai will add yet another element to that attack. But it will be interesting to see whether Nagelsmann will continue playing with several false-nines or rather use Szoboszlai to better set in scene Leipzig’s newly acquired strikers. Certainly, the Hungarian is not a replacement for Timo Werner; he left the club for Chelsea last summer. Instead, it appears that Nagelsmann will continue to evolutionize his side away from the dependency of a single striker. 

Then there is the question of how Salzburg will replace Szoboslzai. The Austrians will have little to worry about. No other club in Europe has been better at developing players, moving them on, and replacing them. Szoboszlai’s replacement, in fact, has already been signed. In January, US super talent Brenden Aaronson will join the club. He is no one-to-one replacement for Szoboszlai yet, but, under the tutelage of Jesse Marsch, will without a doubt become the next hot Salzburg commodity. 

Manuel Veth is the editor-in-chief of the Futbolgrad Network and the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth