Fabrizio Romano and Sky Germany both report that RB Leipzig are set to complete the signing of PSG centre-back El Chadaille Bitshiabu.
Nothing has been signed yet but the deal is becoming concrete. Bitshiabu will cost Leipzig between €18m-€20m, the 18-year-old’s contract at PSG expires next summer.
Bitshiabu has played a total of 19 times for the senior PSG team and this season the 18-year-old received six starts while also coming off the bench in PSG’s 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Unlike Leipzig’s pursuit of Lutsharel Geertruida from Feyenoord and Castello Lukeba from Lyon, Bitshiabu is likely to be a player for the future and he will not immediately be a part of the Leipzig starting 11 and will be used for rotation until he full settles at the club.
This will be the third time Leipzig have signed a player permanently from PSG. The other two signings have varied in success, the first was Jean-Kévin Augustin who arrived in the Bundesliga with promise only to spend two seasons at Leipzig before being shipped to Leeds United on loan.
The other was Christopher Nkunku, the 25-year-old arrived in 2019 and during his time in Saxony has flourished into a well-rounded attacking player earning himself the Bundesliga Player of the Season two seasons ago while also playing key roles in both of Leipzig’s DFB-Pokal triumphs.
