Bayer Leverkusen also wanted him, but in the end RB came out on top: offensive talent Johan Bakayoko is transferring from PSV Eindhoven to Leipzig.
Three in one day. Following the transfers of Yan Diomande (18) and Andrija Maksimovic (18), RB Leipzig presented its third new signing on Wednesday in the form of Johan Bakayoko. A year ago, when midfield strategist Dani Olmo left RB Leipzig for Barcelona, the Saxons were rumored to be very interested in a certain Bakayoko.
PSV Eindhoven, the young winger’s employer, preferred to keep the Belgian with a contract until 2026 for another season. This summer, Leipzig made another attempt to sign Bakayoko – and this time it was successful. The 22-year-old signed a five-year contract with Leipzig until June 30, 2030, and will wear the prestigious number 9 jersey.
“I was very impressed by how RB Leipzig repeatedly tried to sign me in recent years and made me feel that they really wanted me. That, and the recent talks with everyone involved, were the deciding factors for me to move to Leipzig and the Bundesliga,“ the Belgian is quoted as saying in a club statement. ”I immediately felt that there was a clear plan for me and that I can contribute my strengths here in a targeted manner.”
No details were given about the transfer fee, but the fact is that Leipzig beat Bayer 04 Leverkusen, among others, a direct league rival. “RB Leipzig had Johan Bakayoko on their radar for over two years and repeatedly tried to sign him,” revealed Marcel Schäfer (managing director of sports), adding: “Our persistence may have paid off now.”
Bakayoko is not a player that the Saxons want to develop; rather, he is intended to be an immediate reinforcement, as Schäfer makes clear: “Despite his young age, he has already been playing at the highest level for three years, has performed well in both the league and the Champions League, and will therefore be an immediate reinforcement.”
A two-time champion with plenty of pace
The 18-time Belgian international joins RB’s already impressive attacking line-up in Leipzig. The 22-year-old is a classic winger who uses his dribbling skills to great effect on the right wing. Bakayoko also has an impressive finish with his strong left foot. “With his power, explosiveness, speed, and goal-scoring threat, he will enrich our play on the right wing and has strengths both with and without the ball,” said Schäfer.
Last season, the attacking player scored nine goals and provided one assist in the Netherlands. However, Bakayoko’s performance in Eindhoven fell short of his previous season’s form, when the youngster scored twelve goals and provided nine assists in the 2023/24 league campaign.
Meanwhile, both seasons ended similarly successfully for his team: As in 2024, Eindhoven was crowned Dutch champion this year, overtaking rivals Ajax Amsterdam on the penultimate matchday. “These have been the most extraordinary years of my life,” said Bakayoko in a statement released by the Dutch champions, adding that after six years at PSV, he felt “ready for the next step.”
PSV bids farewell to the striker with mixed feelings. “Johan is, of course, a player who has meant a lot to PSV,” said Eindhoven’s sporting director Earnest Stewart, emphasizing that “this is a fantastic opportunity” for the player.