Szoboszlai joins RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg for reported €25M fee

Dominik Szoboszlai, one of Europe’s most exciting midfield prospects, moved from Red Bull Salzburg to sister club RB Leipzig, the teams announced Thursday.

The deal cost €25 million, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano.

Szoboszlai, who signed a four-and-a-half-year contract to make the leap to the Bundesliga, snubbed reported interest from Arsenal and AC Milan. He’ll be eligible to make his Leipzig debut Jan. 9 against Borussia Dortmund.

“With the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai, we’ve been able to further strengthen our squad,” Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said. “With the positive net spend in the summer as well as reaching the knockout round of the Champions League, we’ve been able to use the revenue to make a transfer of this size even in these financially difficult times.”

The 20-year-old routinely made the headlines for club and country over the last two seasons. He scored an unbelievable goal from distance to open Salzburg’s Champions League campaign and earned Hungary a berth at Euro 2020 with a sensational match-winning effort in the 92nd minute of his country’s playoff against Iceland.

A central attacking midfielder who can also operate on the left flank, Szoboszlai will give Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann another weapon in the final third.

Szoboszlai racked up 26 goals and provided 34 assists in 82 matches with Salzburg, who discovered him as a teenager and signed him in 2017.

“Dominik came to us as a young and highly talented player who knew exactly what he wanted from the start,” Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund said. “He has developed in his four years at FC Red Bull Salzburg into an absolute professional who has improved in all areas. He has matured from a talent with extraordinary ability to a great personality, and has shown what he can do not only in the Austrian Bundesliga but also in many European matches.”

Szoboszlai leaves Austria with three league titles and two domestic cup victories. He finds Leipzig in third place in the Bundesliga.