Man United and Chelsea scouting ‘exceptional’ Bundesliga player, approaches expected
Man United and Chelsea are both reportedly keeping an eye on highly-rated RB Leipzig midfielder Assan Ouedraogo following his great start to the 2025-26 campaign.
Assan Ouedraogo has enjoyed a stellar start to the new season with RB Leipzig as he bursts onto the scene in German football at just 19-years-old.
He began his professional career with Schalke after spending nine years in their academy set-up, and joined Leipzig for around £8.7million in June 2024 after making 17 second-tier appearances.
The central midfielder barely featured last season due to recurring knee and thigh injuries, but has broken into Ole Werner’s side this time around to become a mainstay in the middle of the park.
He scored on his Germany debut last week in a 6-0 rout of Slovakia to continue an incredible start to the campaign, and could be plying his trade in the Premier League next season if he continues starring for Leipzig.
Man United and Chelsea are ‘crazy’ for Ouedraogo as scouting begins
According to Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, via X, Man United and Chelsea are both scouting Ouedraogo as he targets a place in Germany’s World Cup squad.
Premier League sides, likely including both of those teams, are reportedly “crazy” about Ouedraogo, but a move to sign him is only likely next summer rather than in January.
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He has three goals and three assists in 10 Bundesliga appearances so far this season, but is under contract with Leipzig until 2029 and has no release clause in his contract.
Man United are monitoring Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, while Chelsea and United are each interested in signing Koln’s Said El Mala as revealed by Football Insider, so both clubs are clearly intent on delving into the Bundesliga market soon.
What Julian Nagelsmann and Ole Werner have said about Ouedraogo
Ouedraogo scored his first goal for the Germany senior team in the 79th minute against Slovakia on 17 November, and seems set to stay in Julian Nagelsmann’s plans as long as he keeps up his strong club form.
Following that game, the Die Mannschaft boss praised the 19-year-old but also sent out a warning to him for the future, saying: “He is still very young, but I am very happy about his development and hope that he retains his modesty. He has to stay tuned now and continue the same way.”
Leipzig manager Werner heaped praise on Ouedraogo after his goal against Werder Bremen on Sunday (23 November), as he said: “Assan is an exceptional talent, very likeable because he never assumes he will automatically score, and he takes responsibility on the pitch.”
It is clear that the midfielder can go a long way in the game if he keeps up this kind of form, and he may well be gracing the pitch in the Premier League next season for one of the world’s biggest clubs.