RB Leipzig defend pace of Sporting Director hunt but new hire imminent

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On the Move

by Jonathan Rest

One of the most eye-catching Sporting Director vacancies in European football is about to be filled, RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has confirmed.

We will not allow ourselves to be hurried – quality is taking priority over time here. I can confirm however that we are currently in productive discussions and have the feeling that we've identified the right candidates for our club and our philosophy.

Oliver Mintzlaff

CEO, RB Leipzig

The Bundesliga club has been without a Sporting Director since Markus Krösche took on the same role at Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of last season.

A number of high-profile German executives have been linked with the vacancy in the past few months as the recruitment process stepped up a level.

Now, in an interview posted on the club's website, Mintzlaff (pictured) said the club is close to announcing a new Sporting Director, defending the steady approach it has taken.

He said: "I've said since Markus Krösche's departure that we will look for a new sporting director, and nothing has changed. It should be obvious that we would have a suitable sporting director start today rather than tomorrow.

"For us, however, finding the right person for the role is still a much more important factor. We’ve taken the time to do this in recent months and we will not allow ourselves to be hurried – quality is taking priority over time here.

"I can confirm however that we are currently in productive discussions and have the feeling that we've identified the right candidates for our club and our philosophy. We are confident that we will be welcoming the new sporting director here very soon."

Mintzlaff, Licensing Director Frank Aehlig, Commercial Director Florian Scholz and Technical Director Christopher Vivell have all been working together as a joint-committee since Krösche's departure, and the CEO has praised the trio.

He said: "Thanks to their commitment, we have not been left with a vacuum in the sporting director role... But as I said before, we wish to complete our management team with a new sporting director, despite the good work done in the absence of one and the extra responsibilities that others have taken on."

Krösche joined Leipzig in 2019 from SC Paderborn, where he had been Managing Director of Sport, and moved onto Eintracht to succeed Fredi Bobic, now the Sporting CEO at Hertha BSC.

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