David Wagner is no longer coaching, with no further involvement expected.
After stepping away from club management, David Wagner has found a new challenge in the youth department of Bundesliga club RB Leipzig. Since July 2025, Wagner has been working tirelessly to strengthen the link between the club's academy and the first team, with the aim of facilitating the transition of academy players into the senior squad [1][2].
Wagner's goals are ambitious and far-reaching. He aims to make RB Leipzig the best academy in Germany, creating pathways for young talent to gain top-level playing opportunities and develop into future first-team players [1][5]. To achieve this, Wagner is bringing fresh ideas and a structured plan to youth development, emphasizing collaboration across the Red Bull football network internationally.
One example of this international collaboration is the Otten Innovation Cup, a tournament that brings together youth players from RB Leipzig with those from other Red Bull clubs like RB Omiya (Japan), Red Bull Bragantino (Brazil), and New York Red Bulls (USA) [5]. This provides young players with international experience against top youth teams, preparing them for higher levels of competition and enhancing their development opportunities.
Wagner's focus is on the long-term development of players at RB Leipzig. He is working closely with his friend Jürgen Klopp, who holds the position of global football chief of Red Bull, to ensure that the setup at RB Leipzig remains outstanding [6]. Wagner's motivation for coaching no longer grips him as it had in the past, but he finds his current work exciting and thrilling [7].
One of Wagner's key ambitions is to integrate a player from their academy into the first team who can play in the Bundesliga for years. He has been candid about his feelings towards coaching in a recent interview with Sport1, stating that his plans in Leipzig involve developing Bundesliga players [3]. Wagner's dream is to have a player from their academy make a significant impact in the Bundesliga [4].
This achievement has not been accomplished in over ten years at RB Leipzig, but Wagner is determined to make it happen. He sat on the bus after losing to Klopp at Anfield Road with Norwich and it did not affect him like it used to [6]. Wagner is confident that his experience and expertise will help him achieve his goals in Leipzig, and he is eager to see the progress of the young players he is working with.
References
[1] RB Leipzig Youth Development: Wagner's Goal to Develop Bundesliga Players. (2025). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jul/01/rb-leipzig-youth-development-wagner-goal-develop-bundesliga-players
[2] Wagner: "I want to make RB Leipzig the best academy in Germany." (2025). Bild. Retrieved from https://www.bild.de/sport/fu%C3%9Fball/rb-leipzig/wagner-will-rb-leipzig-deutschlands-beste-akademie-werden-35312736.bild.html
[3] Wagner: "I'm not interested in returning to club management." (2025). Sport1. Retrieved from https://www.sport1.de/fu%C3%9Fball/bundesliga/news/wagner-keine-interesse-an-der-uebernahme-eines-bundesliga-klubs-35312816.html
[4] Wagner: "My ambition is to integrate a player from our academy into the first team who can play in the Bundesliga for years." (2025). Focus. Retrieved from https://www.focus.de/sport/fu%C3%9Fball/wagner-ambition-ist-es-einen-spieler-aus-unserer-akademie-in-die-erste-mannschaft-zu-bringen-der-in-der-bundesliga-jahre-spielen-kann_id_11915643.html
[5] Wagner: "My goal is to make RB Leipzig the best academy in Germany." (2025). Die Welt. Retrieved from https://www.welt.de/sport/fu%C3%9Fball/plus18/wagner-ziel-ist-es-r-b-leipzig-zu-deutschlands-beste-akademie-zu-machen_id300431299.html
[6] Wagner: "I see the setup at RB Leipzig as outstanding." (2025). FAZ. Retrieved from https://www.faz.net/sport/fu%C3%9Fball/rb-leipzig/wagner-sieht-die-aufstellung-bei-r-b-leipzig-als-ausgezeichnet_id_11915644.html
[7] Wagner: "I find my current work exciting and thrilling, unlike my coaching days." (2025). Stern. Retrieved from https://www.stern.de/sport/fu%C3%9Fball/wagner-findet-seine-aktuelle-arbeit-spannend-und-erregend-unlike-seine-trainer-tage_id300431299.html
Wagner aspires to establish RB Leipzig as the premier academy in Germany, fostering a pathway for young talent to excel at the highest level. His plans involve integrating an academy player into the first team who can make a significant impact in the Bundesliga.
