In Leipzig, for the most part, they are not depended on transfers. They are not a feeder club. Atleast not to the extend a Hoffenhiem is. In recent summers, Leipzig has been approached by major clubs trying to get their hands on several of their marquee players, namely striker Timo Werner and midfielder Emil Forsberg. Yet, RB Leipzig hasn't seen a offer they've liked and both players still remain with the club currently. Even if that means risking Werner leave as a free agent next summer and gain nothing in return, the club refuses to sell players at a discounted price.
So, the big question going into the season is how will Leipzig look with Nagelsmann? I don't think it's all by design, but Leipzig is build pretty well if Nagelsmann runs out his familiar 3-4-1-2 lineup that he has used at Hoffenhiem.
Leipzig actually has three central defenders that should get playing time, which makes it perfect because until now, they were never able to play all three. Willi Orban, Dayot Upamecano, as long as he stays healthy, and Ibrahima Konate. Last season they avoided the issue of which two to play because Dayot missed most of the season with a injury. Konate showed a lot of ball-skills last season with a few good runs, he would be my favorite to play the middle centerback, unless Nagelsmann wants more speed in that position, and could use Dayot.
The two wing backs, Marcel Halstenberg and Lukas Klostermann, both of whom had excellent seasons last year, scoring a combined 8 goals from the backline. Both possess good pace, high football-IQ and as they showed last year they can score. Normally, wing backs do not bring much value to a game, thats how Nagelsmann's system differs from many, as he makes them a important part of the attack, such as he did with Nico Schulz, who became a elite wing back under Nagelsmann in Hoffenheim and got himself a big payday this summer by signing with Dortmund. In case Halstenberg and Klostermann can not handle the grind or have to sit due to injuries, Nagelsmann is assured to have good replacements. Last summer they added highly touted Uruguayan Marcelo Saracchi and this summer added Brazilian Luan Cândido.
The system forces the defensive midfielders to be all-around players. Be able to defend and steal the ball and also be able to move the ball forwards to it's wing backs or forwards upfront. In this case, i've slotted Amadou Haidara and Tyler Adams in the middle of the field. Both are great with the ball, excellent passers with good vision.
Up front, Nagelsmann likes to play with two strikers, which would be Werner and Yussuf Poulsen and a "quarterback" of the offense just behind them as the attacking central midfielder, a player versatile to be interchangeable from left to right to the middle and be a great distributor and be able to score on his own. Upon Nagelsmann's arrival he will already have that perfect guy for that role: Forsberg. The strikers in his system are not the traditional kind where their job is to only score. For Nagelsmann, the modern-day striker has to be able to be a playmaker, have quickness and good ball movement. And thats exactly what he will get from Werner and Poulsen. A player who could fill either the two striker roles or Forsberg from the bench is Matheus Cunha. Might not be this season, but i think the twenty year old Cunha will become a legit star under Nagelsmann's guidance.
Potential RB Leipzig XI
--------------------------------------------- Gulacsi -----------------------------------------------
-------------------------- Dayot ---------- Konate -------- Orban (C)---------------------------
Klostermann ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Halstenberg
---------------------------------- Haidara------------ Adams-------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------- Forsberg-----------------------------------------------
--------------------------- Werner --------------------------- Poulsen-----------------------------
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