Versatile Chelsea star Ethan Ampadu has joined RB Leipzig on a season-long loan deal, the Bundesliga club announced on Monday.
RB Leipzig have made an official announcement to confirm that they have secured the services of Chelsea youngster Ethan Ampadu. The Welsh international has joined the Bundesliga outfit for the entirety of the 2019-20 season.
Ethan Ampadu joined Chelsea from boyhood club Exeter City in the summer of 2017, with a lot of hype surrounding him. Having become a first-team player for Exeter aged just 15, there was understandably a lot of excitement over the signature of the teenager.
Made in C̶h̶e̶l̶s̶e̶a̶ E̶x̶e̶t̶e̶r̶ Leipzig ?
?⚪ #DieRotenBullen @ethanamp4 pic.twitter.com/XmukrKUBdS
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) July 22, 2019
And, in just over a year of joining the Blues, Ampadu broke into their first-team setup, with former boss Maurizio Sarri handing him opportunities to impress. And, impress he did, with the 18-year-old making five first-team appearances for Chelsea across all competitions.
However, with new Chelsea manager Frank Lampard loaded with options in midfield in the form of a few returning loan stars, there have been concerns as to whether the established Welsh international would get regular minutes this coming season. As a result, a season-long loan move has been mooted this summer.
A few clubs had been linked with the player, but RB Leipzig stormed ahead last week, as reports of a medical started emerging. And, the Bundesliga club have now beaten other suitors in the race to sign Ampadu from Chelsea, landing the 18-year-old for the 2019-20 season. Upon completing the move, Ampadu expressed his excitement at joining RB Leipzig.
“I am very happy to be at RB Leipzig and start the season with the team. I want to get to know the team as quickly as possible and integrate myself. I’ve been following the club in recent years and saw how fantastic young players have come to develop here and what potential there is in this club. So it’s the perfect step for me.”
It will be interesting to see how Ampadu fits in the RB Leipzig first-team setup though, with new manager Julian Nagelsmann having an abundance of options in both defence and midfield. Having said that, the Chelsea loanee’s ability to reprise different roles effortlessly ought to make him an asset for Die Roten Bullen.
For now, Ethan Ampadu has become the fourth signing of the summer transfer window for RB Leipzig. As the season gets set to begin next month, it will be interesting to see if the temporary move away from Chelsea pays off for the Welsh international.
