"I've never been better" - RB Leipzig's Tyler Adams
RB Leipzig and USA international midfielder Tyler Adams believes he is playing the best football yet of his still young career.
Injury restricted Adams to just one Bundesliga appearance during the first half of 2019/20, but he featured in 13 of Leipzig's 17 matches in the Rückrunde, as well as a further three in their run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
The 21-year-old is confident he can play an even bigger role in 2020/21, in what will be his second full campaign in the Bundesliga.
Watch: Tyler Adams on the coronavirus-interrupted season just gone
"I'm the best Tyler Adams yet, but I can still improve," Adams told SportBild.
"I've learned a lot, I've improved tactically. I know what I have to do, and I'm ready to consistently help the team. The coach has told me he wants me to win a lot of balls, use my ability to control the game or speed things up by passing the ball into dangerous areas.
"I'm in great shape, and focused. There's nothing to stop me from playing as many games as possible."
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Since making the switch from New York Red Bulls in January 2019, Adams has turned out 29 times in all competitions for Leipzig.
The 10-time USA international has two assists to show for his first 24 Bundesliga appearances, and opened his club account with the winning goal against Atletico Madrid as Die Roten Bullen advanced to the Champions League last four for the first time. He is the first player from the US to score a goal in a Champions League quarter-final stage or beyond.
"I'm excited, but these statistics, being the first to do this or first to do that ... for me, I want to be the first American to win the Champions League," Adams - who signed a new long-term deal with Leipzig in March 2020 - told CNN. "That's something I'll be excited about."
Adams will have the opportunity to do that once again in 2020/21 after Leipzig secured their second successive year of Champions League football - and third overall - after finishing third in last season's Bundesliga.
Julian Nagelsmann's men begin their tilt at domestic honours in the DFB Cup first round on 12 September, when they travel to second tier Nuremberg.
Mainz provide the opposition at the Red Bull Arena on the opening weekend of the new Bundesliga campaign eight days later, with Matchday 1 of the Champions League groups slated for 20–21 October.
Related news
Will Dortmund end champions Leverkusen's streak?
Are top-four hopefuls Dortmund the team to inflict a first defeat of the season on freshly crowned Bundesliga champions Leverkusen?
Alonso's Leverkusen set European record
Xabi Alonso's Bundesliga champions are now 44 competitive games without loss since the start of 2023/24, a new record across Europe's top five leagues.
5 reasons Dortmund will STILL go through against Atlético
Dortmund are down, but by no means out as they bid to overturn a 2-1 deficit in the home leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie...