New York Red Bulls midfielder/defender Tyler Adams will soon move to sister club RB Leipzig, six sources have told MLSsoccer.com.
The sources said that it’s most likely that Adams will remain with New York for the remainder of the MLS season before joining former Red Bulls head coach and newly-minted Leipzig assistant Jesse Marsch in Germany. It’s possible that the 19-year-old could be sold to Leipzig in the summer transfer window and loaned back to New York for the remainder of the season or that he could be sold to the Bundesliga side in the winter transfer window in January.
Completing the transfer now and then loaning Adams back to New York for the remainder of the MLS season would make the US international eligible to play for Leipzig as soon as New York are eliminated in MLS, which could be as early as the end of October. If the parties wait until the winter transfer window to complete the deal, Adams will not be eligible to play for Leipzig until January.
Metro's Kristian Dyer had reported in May that Adams could move, either in summer or at the end of the MLS season.
It was announced on Monday that Marsch, who officially left New York last Friday, signed a two-year contract to be an assistant coach at Leipzig. The squad will be coached this season by Red Bull sporting director Ralf Rangnick before current Hoffenheim manager Julian Nagelsmann takes over next summer.
Marsch was asked on Tuesday about Adams’ future and the possibility that the player could join Leipzig and told reporters, “Leipzig would be very happy to have him. His future is in Europe.”
One source said Adams’ transfer fee could exceed $5 million. Because Adams is a Homegrown Player, New York will receive 100 percent of any fee. Up to $750,000 of the fee can be used as General Allocation Money, while the remaining balance can be used to help pay a current or new Designated Player or for general investment in the sporting side of the team.
Asked about Leipzig’s interest in Adams on Wednesday, Red Bulls head coach Chris Armas told reporters after training that “Tyler is with us, he’s here and he’ll be with us this year. That’s all that I know. He’s in the plans.” A New York Red Bulls spokesperson declined to comment.
One of the top young players in MLS, Adams signed a Homegrown deal with the Red Bulls in November 2015 after a successful season with their USL affiliate, New York Red Bulls II. Capable of playing as a center midfielder or right back, he spent the bulk of 2016 with Red Bulls II, helping the team to the USL title, then burst onto the scene with a standout 2017 campaign.
Adams made 24 regular season appearances for the Red Bulls last year, recording two goals and four assists to help the club stay on track following the offseason trade of holding midfielder Dax McCarty to Chicago. He added an assist while playing every minute of New York’s three 2017 playoff matches. He also started all five matches and played a major role in the US Under-20 national team’s run to the quarterfinals of last summer’s U-20 World Cup.
Adams has two assists in 13 regular season appearances this season for New York, who are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference and in sixth in the Supporters’ Shield standings. He recorded one goal while starting all six of the Red Bulls’ Concacaf Champions League matches earlier this spring.
The Wappingers Falls, New York native made his full national team debut in a 1-1 draw at Portugal last November and has five career USMNT caps. He’s started all four US matches he’s been called for in 2018.
RB Leipzig finished the 2017-18 season in sixth in the Bundesliga and advanced to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League. The club, who, like the New York Red Bulls, are owned by Red Bull GmbH, were promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016 and finished second behind Bayern Munich in their first season in the top flight.
