RB Leipzig have announced that they have completed the signing of PSG defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu making the 18-year-old Leipzig’s seventh signing of the summer.
Bitshiabu joins Leipzig for a base fee of €15m and signs a contract at the club until 2028. On his move to the Bundesliga, the 18-year-old said:
“I am pleased to be a part of RB Leipzig from now on. The club enjoys an excellent reputation in France. On the one hand, through the sporting successes, on the other hand, because you can develop excellently here as a young player at the highest level. The sports management around Max Eberl showed me this special and attractive path, which inspired me from the beginning. Now I can’t wait to prepare for the new season with the team.”
Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl commented on Bitshiabu:
“El Chadaille is one of the most exciting defensive talents in Europe, and we are proud that he will play for RB Leipzig from now on. He only turned 18 this May, but has already completed 19 professional assignments for PSG and thus at the top level, which speaks for his quality. El Chadaille is enormously fast, present in the header game, strong in a duel and safe in the game structure. As a left foot, it also fits perfectly into our sought-after profile. Nevertheless, he is still a very young player who is now taking the step into a new country and a new league. El Chadaille will get the appropriate time with us to arrive in the club and in the team, so that he can then retrieve his achievements step by step and help us with his strengths.”
Bitshiabu came through the PSG academy and even became their youngest debutant when he made his debut in the 2021-22 season overtaking Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman. Last season, Bitshiabu played 17 times for PSG as they won Ligue 1 with most of his appearances coming off of the bench. However, the 18-year-old was handed starts against Strasbourg and Clermont Foot as PSG wrapped up the season.
The 18-year-old may not be the only defender from Ligue 1 to arrive in Leipzig this summer. Sky Germany have previously reported that Leipzig have shown interest in Lyon defender Castello Lukeba.
After already improving their attack this summer, it seems as if Leipzig has turned their attention to their defence. With the potential departures of Joško Gvardiol, Marcel Halstenberg and even Lukas Klostermann, the club likely feels that a refresh of the defence is on the horizon.
