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RB Leipzig stops sale of U21 star Lukeba – what’s behind it?
RB Leipzig keeps Castello Lukeba despite interest from Real Madrid. The defender will stay at the club until at least 2026.
RB Leipzig stops sale of U21 star Lukeba – what’s behind it?
Castello Lukeba, 22 years old and RB Leipzig defender, has made a lot of noise this season. In the UEFA U21 European Championship he made it to the semi-finals with the French team, where they met the German team and were eliminated 0-3. During the tournament, Lukeba played for over 90 minutes in four out of five games, underlining his central role in the team.
Although a thigh injury kept him out of action for two months last year, Lukeba has quickly re-established himself. There is reportedly international interest in the talented centre-back, including from Real Madrid. The Spanish club is considered a possible buyer for Lukeba, but RB Leipzig has decided not to sell him, as Bild.de reports. The club wants Lukeba to continue to develop and gain stability in his performances.
Future prospects and decision making
RB Leipzig only extended Lukeba's contract until 2029 in October 2022, after Real Madrid had already shown interest at the time. He is seen as a player with great potential, but a sale in the near future is seen as unrealistic. Despite his release clause of 90 million euros, there is currently no specific interested party who would be willing to pay this amount. RBLive.de highlights that Lukeba is one of the most consistent players in the team, but has not shown the outstanding performances that would justify a transfer of this magnitude.
The club is currently pursuing the goal of generating over 100 million euros through transfer fees from other players, which is important for financial stability. Candidates for departure include Benjamin Sesko (22 years, at least 80 million euros), Xavi Simons (22 years, at least 70 million euros) and Lois Openda (25 years, at least 40 million euros).
RB Leipzig plans to keep Lukeba on board next season and push ahead with the restructuring of the squad after the team missed out on the Champions League this season. The decision to keep Lukeba at the club is part of a long-term strategy to give him the opportunity to develop further and gain important experience.