Report: Wolfsburg's Baku wants to join RB - sticking point transfer fee

RB Leipzig would like to sign Ridle Baku from VfL Wolfsburg as a replacement for the seriously injured international Benjamin Henrichs. According to a report in "Kicker", the 26-year-old informed VfL of his intention to move this month. Both clubs are in talks, but the transfer fee is still being discussed.

Baku's contract expires in the summer, so Leipzig would like to sign him for a correspondingly low price. According to the report, RB sporting director Marcel Schäfer has submitted an offer of around three million euros to his former club Wolfsburg, but this sum is apparently not enough for Lower Saxony. Their managing director Peter Christiansen also emphasized that a replacement must be found.

Schäfer has already transferred Baku once

Henrichs suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the closing seconds of the 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on 20 December. The 27-year-old underwent surgery immediately, but will not play again this season. In terms of the squad, Lukas Klostermann or Lutsharel Geertruida could also fill the Henrichs position on the right-hand side of defense, but RB apparently have other plans.

Speculations about a transfer from Baku to Leipzig have been frequent in the past. Now the transfer could become a reality, especially as Schäfer knows the winger very well and has promoted his career. In October 2020, Schäfer brought Baku to VfL from Mainz together with Wolfsburg's then head of sport Jörg Schmadtke. At the time, Wolfsburg paid around ten million euros.