Bundesliga: distraction or royal solution: Eberl’s flirt with RB Leipzig

Bundesliga
Distraction or royal solution: Eberl’s flirt with RB Leipzig

When it comes to Max Eberl, there are currently no limits to the imagination. New and, above all, exclusive water reports on the future of the former sports director of Borussia Mönchengladbach are published almost every day.

An allegedly impending liaison with cup winner RB Leipzig is currently the hot topic. CEO Oliver Mintzlaff denied an agreement with Eberl, but not Kontakt. And indicated the near end of the search for a head of sport, which had been going on for more than a year: “Now we are at least in a corridor where I have the feeling that we are moving in the right direction.”

Eberl remains in the conversation and is silent

One can only imagine how Eberl himself follows the whole theatre. Finally, the 48-year-old remains silent. After retiring from Borussia Mönchengladbach at the end of January, he traveled and eventually settled in the Zurich area. From time to time Eberl appears on the grandstands of the Alpine nation and has to serve as a candidate when a sports director is wanted somewhere. He keeps talking – no matter how absurd it may be.

So the flirt with Leipzig could be nothing more than a profane distraction. However, the connection to RB makes sense in many ways. Since the departure of Markus Krösche in April 2021, RB has been looking for a sports director who should be the opinionated face of the club. One of the most recent rumors also says that even a post as managing director of sport is conceivable. Formally, Eberl would have an abundance of power that no head of sports in the Bundesliga structure of Leipzig had before.

As I said: formal. Because the reality for the Saxons so far has been that Mintzlaff doesn’t shy away from going it alone if something doesn’t suit him or doesn’t go fast enough. The club boss emphasized in a talk with the “Leipziger Volkszeitung” that you absolutely need a sports director and that Mintzlaff will finally have a little more free time himself. But shortly before that he reported in detail how he managed the return of Timo Werner practically single-handedly.

Mintzlaff likes to talk about the “perfect fit”, i.e. the ideal solution. When it came to sports director, he outlined the job profile very clearly. They are looking for someone “who brings a lot of experience, who is a strong face, who has a lot of internationality.” In the last point, the robust Eberl from Bogen in Lower Bavaria still has deficits. Mintzlaff also hinted that Thierry Henry was a candidate but would prefer to continue to focus on coaching. The world star Henry would indeed be the international 1A-Plus solution announced by Mintzlaff – in contrast to Eberl.

Eberl needs the approval of Gladbach

In addition, a commitment from Eberl would entail two not exactly small obstacles. On the one hand, what motivates Eberl to switch from Borussia from Mönchengladbach, which is deeply rooted in the Bundesliga, to the Leipzig art product should be moderated in a credible way. The other point would be a fee that is probably due. The Gladbach contract with Eberl is valid until 2026 and is currently on hold. Means: Borussia does not pay a cent salary, but continues to lead the manager as an employee. There are eight million euros as a transfer fee in the room, it has not yet been concrete. “There is currently no contact, neither by Max Eberl nor by a club,” said Borussia managing director Markus Aretz to the “kicker”.

After the end of the transfer period at the beginning of September, Mintzlaff wants to present the new sports director. The drama about the phantom Eberl doesn’t have to end there. Because parallel to the alleged Leipzig advances, the next rumor is already spreading. VfL Wolfsburg needs a new managing director for the new year, as Jörg Schmadtke is leaving. Actually, Marcel Schäfer should follow him, but as long as Eberl is without a job, he will also be traded as a candidate in the Autostadt.

dpa