Chelsea’s youth prodigy Ethan Ampadu is edging closer to a move to RB Leipzig as he looks to make his breakthrough in professional football next season.
According to Sky Sports, RB Leipzig are on the verge of completing a loan move for Ethan Ampadu. The Chelsea youngster is set to have his medical in Leipzig, where he will be seeking an opportunity to showcase his talents in one of Europe’s best leagues.
Ampadu was made available on the loan market earlier this week by Frank Lampard. The newly-appointed Chelsea manager holds the young midfielder at high esteem and believes that he deserves to get regular opportunities in senior football next season. Hence, a move to Leipzig makes sense, although newly-promoted Premier League outfit Aston Villa were also interested in services.
Ampadu will join the crop of talented British youngsters trying to find their breakthrough in Germany, following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, Reiss Nelson and Ademola Lookman among many others.
That being said, the 18-year-old, who is labelled as a centre-back may not necessarily become a first-team regular for Leipzig unless he makes a huge impact like Sancho. In the holding midfield role, he will face competition from USMNT star Tyler Adams as well as Diego Demme and the experienced Stefan Ilsanker.
As for the central defensive slot, the Welshman will be expected to provide cover for club captain Willi Orban, although Dayot Upamecano will likely remain the desired alternative for coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Fortunately for Ampadu, however, Nagelsmann is someone who isn’t afraid to give youngsters the opportunity to impress. He was the brains behind the rise of players like Andrej Kramaric, Nico Schulz and Nadiem Amiri among many others. And the 31-year-old will likely provide the Chelsea youngster with the chance to make his impact in the Bundesliga, which is a breeding ground for young, talented footballers.
As for Chelsea, the departure of Ampadu probably makes sense despite their transfer ban. The Blues still have considerable depth in central defence and also in the holding midfield role, especially with Tiemoue Bakayoko returning from his loan spell at AC Milan.
Ampadu certainly has the talent to become a key player for Chelsea in the coming years and a move to Leipzig could provide him with the ideal platform to showcase his abilities to not only his parent club but also to the entirety of the European football world.
