RB Leipzig sign Amadou Haidara from Salzburg

RB Leipzig’s Rückrunde campaign will be boosted by the arrival of Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara on a five-year deal.

Haidara was part of the Salzburg team who beat Leipzig 3-2 in the UEFA Europa League in September, scoring the Austrians’ second goal, and is seen as the long-term successor to Naby Keita, who left the Red Bull Arena for Liverpool last summer.

“I’m very happy that I’m now at RB Leipzig,” explained Haidara, who is unlikely to make his debut until March due to a knee injury. “I'm really motivated to develop myself here and I want to develop myself personally in the Bundesliga.”

Haidara, a two-time Austrian Bundesliga champion with Salzburg, scored two league goals and assisted three more before injury waylaid him in November, and coach Ralf Rangnick is excited to have the box-to-box midfielder in his ranks.

“We’re very happy to have worked out the transfer of Amadou Haidara,” he said. “There are not many players out there who have his potential. He has all the prerequisites to succeed Keita.”