Wöber transfer from Salzburg to Leeds United is confirmed – Südtirol News
The transfer of ÖFB team player Maximilian Wöber from soccer champion Red Bull Salzburg to the English Premier League to Leeds United is official. The 24-year-old defender is leaving Salzburg after three and a half years and has signed a contract with the English first division team until 2027. Wöber switched from FC Sevilla to Salzburg in 2019 under Leeds coach Jesse Marsch. The transfer fee, including bonus payments, should now be in the range of EUR 20 million.
“Max is now going to the best league in the world as a ‘real Salzburger’ and we wish him all the best, good health and success,” said Salzburg’s head of sport Christoph Freund, saying goodbye to the “very consistent leader” Wöber on Tuesday. “Now he has the opportunity to fulfill his dream of playing in the Premier League and we have now found a good solution for everyone involved.”
The business is at least one of the five most expensive transfers of Austrian players. The list is headed by Marko Arnautovic, who traded from Stoke City to West Ham for around €25m in 2017. Wöber only extended his contract in Salzburg in May until 2025. He is now the second Austrian player in the Premier League alongside Sasa Kalajdzic.
“I will play wherever the team needs me, whether as a left-back, central defender or as a midfielder, I agree with everything and will do my best,” Wöber promised Leeds fans on the club’s website. He faces a “massive challenge” and knows he’ll have to work hard to get on the team. “I’ll try to grow with every opportunity I get.”
The left foot leaves Salzburg as a triple doubles winner. “Thank you very much for these great moments together, Salzburg has become very dear to me and has become my second home.” The 13-time ÖFB team player emphasized that he could remember countless highlights for the rest of his life. “If I just think back to our first Champions League season, our very first game in this competition against Genk or the race to catch up with Liverpool FC, I still get goosebumps today.”
Leeds is the third foreign stop for the ex-Rapidler after Ajax Amsterdam and Seville. The traditional club is currently in 14th place in the table. Again, Salzburg’s ex-coach Marsch was a driving force behind the change. The American has already lured several players with a Salzburg past to Leeds: After ex-ÖFB national player Franz Schiemer for management and Rene Maric for the coaching team, the Bulls followed last summer with the lucrative transfer of US offensive man Brenden Aaronson – with a rumored fee of EUR 33m for the most expensive player in Bundesliga history – as well as Danish right-back Rasmus Kristensen (around EUR 13m).
Three and a half years ago, Salzburg transferred 10.5 million euros to Seville for Wöber. In the autumn, the universally deployable defender was mainly used as a left-back. As a precaution, the series champion brought Malian Daouda Guindo back from a loan commitment from St. Gallen on Sunday for this position. In addition, in the central defender position, which Wöber can also occupy, there is a loan return of Jerome Onguene from Eintracht Frankfurt. The transfer window in Austria is open until February 6th.
From: apa