Kevin Kampl and RB Leipzig agree contract termination
RB Leipzig and Kevin Kampl have mutually agreed to terminate the midfielder's contract at the end of January, with the 35-year-old citing personal reasons.
Kampl has only featured three times for Leipzig this season, coming off the bench as a late substitute on Matchdays 3, 4 and 5. He has not been included in a squad since the end of September.
"I will carry the eight and a half years at RB Leipzig in my heart forever," Kampl said in a statement on the club's official website. "From the very first day, I was welcomed here with incredible warmth. Together we made history, won the club’s first trophies, experienced great moments, and always got through difficult phases as one united group. That unity is what made us strong.
"I am incredibly grateful to the club, the coaches, all employees, my teammates, the supporters, and everyone in Leipzig," Kampl continued. "The time has flown by for me, a sign of how happy I was here as both a person and a player. I am sad to end this journey, but all the more proud of what we achieved together.
"I will now concentrate on my family back home, as I have done in recent months. I would not completely rule out returning to the pitch somewhere one day, even though that currently feels absolutely unrealistic, as I am dedicated to spending time with the people who are closest to me."
Kampl joined Leipzig from league rivals Bayer Leverkusen in August 2017. The central midfielder scored 10 goals across 283 competitives outings for Leipzig, helping them lift the DFB Cup in both 2022 and 2023.
Watch: Kampl's best Bundesliga goal?
Prior to his stint at Leverkusen (2015-2017), Kampl first arrived in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund, making 14 top flight appearances in the second half of the 2014/15 campaign after joining from Red Bull Salzburg.
"Kevin has given everything for RB Leipzig, integrated fully with the club and the city and was very highly respected by all of his teammates, the coaching staff and everyone working for the club," said managing director for sport Marcel Schäfer.
"We wish him all the best and lots of strength for the future, and we will of course give him a proper farewell. The door is always open for Kevin at RB Leipzig, too."
Kampl will receive an official send-off at the home game against Bayern Munich on 17 January.
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