Fresh Start: Ole Werner Takes the Helm at RB Leipzig till 2027
Ole Gunnar Solskjær promoted as RB Leipzig coach - New appointment: Ole Werner takes over coaching duties at RB Leipzig.
A new era begins for RB Leipzig as they've nailed down their next head coach following intense negotiations and candidate rejections. The Saxony club's fresh face? None other than former Bremen coach Ole Werner, poised to blast Leipzig back into international waters and battle for championships on both domestic and foreign fronts.
"Dive right in as the new cap'n of RB Leipzig! Chats with the powers-that-be showed quick unity on playing and work ethos," Werner stated, as per RB's reports. "Prepare to grind from day one, 24/7, to steer Leipzig back to victorious days ahead," reassured Leipzig's Sporting Director, Marcel Schäfer.
Contract Signed: Ole Werner Joins RB Leipzig through 2027
The 37-year-old Werner, coaching prodigy from Humble Beginnings at Holstein Kiel, has inked a two-year contract with RB Leipzig running through 2027. Intensive tiffs with SV Werder's higher-ups marked the end of Werner's four-season tenure there. Schäfer and Clemens Fritz successfully hammered out a deal just a few days back, drawing the lines for Werner's Leipzig adventure.
In utter regret, Werner had declared his intentions not to re-up post last season, a contract that'd already extend till June next year. Consequent talks with Werder led to an immediate release for the coach.
Werner faces a monumental responsibility in Leipzig, filling the shoes left by Marco Rose, who exited in March 2025. Zsolt Löw stood in temporarily, but he'd return to his chief strategist position under Jürgen Klopp's global football boss at Red Bull after his brief stint.
Names Bandied About
Klopp had more than a handful of moments engrossed in work while he was easing into his new role. Fortunately, no persuasion was needed with Werner as many notable names buzzed around—Cesc Fabregas (Como), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Roger Schmidt (recenty Benfica Lisbon), or Sandro Wagner (currently FC Augsburg). Even Davide Ancelotti, son and aspiring coach of Carlo Ancelotti (now Brazil national team boss), surfaced amidst the speculation. In the end, Jacob Neestrup from FC Copenhagen was eliminated from contention due to Danish opposition to an early contract termination for the coach.
Schäfer promised a full-blown reconstruction shortly after the season's amicable end. Place number seven was a sinking feeling, and RB's ideology was nowhere to be seen. It'll be fascinating to see the shape of the Leipzig squad, with lingering veterans still sporting their Red Bull jerseys.
- RB Leipzig
- Ole Werner
- Leipzig
- SV Werder Bremen
Background Information
- Ole Werner boasts a promising coaching career, starting as a youth coach at Holstein Kiel before making a successful transition to first-team management. He managed to maintain Kiel in 2. Bundesliga during his maiden season and narrowly missed out on the Bundesliga in 2021.
- Afterward, he moved up to coach Werder Bremen for four seasons. He played a crucial role in taking Bremen back to the Bundesliga via promotion in his first year and consistently improved the team's performance over the following seasons, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the 2024-25 Bundesliga. His coaching style centers around structured possession football, quick ball movement, industrious pressing, tactical adaptability, and an aggressive, passionate mentality.
Contract Particulars
- Werner's contract with RB Leipzig binds him to the club for two years until 2027.
- Leipzig paid Werder Bremen a reported compensational fee of approximately two million euros, comprising performance-related perks, to gain Werner's release from Bremen.
Potential Candidates and Outlook
- Details about other candidates considered for the RB Leipzig head coach position weren't disclosed in accessible sources. However, the club seemed keen on securing an external coach with clear principles and a proven track record.
- Werner's appointment highlights RB Leipzig's ambition to revive their position in European competition, with a coach espousing the club's attacking, high-intensity football philosophy.
"Emboldened by the new contract, Ole Werner, the promising coach once affiliated with Holstein Kiel, is now tasked with revitalizing RB Leipzig's fortunes, following his successful stint with SV Werder Bremen."
"Aiming to restructure the team, Leipzig's Sporting Director, Marcel Schäfer, plans to maintain the club's aggressive, passionate style of play, similar to the structured possession football and industrious pressing tactics that Werner has been known for in his coaching career."
