A Barcelona prospect, Ilaix Moriba has joned RB Leipzig for an initial fee of €16 million. After a disagreement over a new contract with Barcelona. Ilaix Moriba has moved to Germany to join RB Leipzig.
The German club published transfer news statement on their website, “RB Leipzig have added the talented youngster to their ranks. The 18-year-old midfielder joins from Barcelona and has signed a five-year deal until 2026.”
Transfer rumors suggested that Tottenham Hotspur was interested to sign Moriba but Marcel Sabitzer’s departure for Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich on Monday cleared the way for Leipzig’s new signing.
The Guinean international’s current contract was set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season and the 18-year-old was unable to reach an agreement with Barcelona to extend his deal. Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated that Moriba would not be able to play for the first team unless he committed his future, and Leipzig has taken advantage of the situation to bring the player to Germany.
“I’m very happy that my move to RB Leipzig worked out – an exciting club that has always had an offensive style of play and therefore fits my game very well,” Moriba, who has signed a five-year deal, told his new club’s website.
“I am convinced that Leipzig is the ideal next step for my career and further development – that was ultimately the reason for my decision to change. My whole concentration is now fully on arriving at the club, in the team, and in the city, in order to then perform on the pitch as quickly as possible. We have ambitious goals for this season and I can hardly wait for the challenge,” he added.
RB Leipzig’s statement read, “We have been able to land an exceptional talent in Ilaix Moriba. We are very proud that he has chosen RB Leipzig, despite many offers from several top clubs in Europe, and that we were able to quickly convince him of our philosophy. We would like to thank FC Barcelona for the open and honest discussions. Signing Ilaix brings this transfer window to a successful close for us, one in which we made several strategic changes.”
