According to rumors in Germany, Lois Openda, a former target of Arsenal, has a release clause in his contract with RB Leipzig that is somewhere around €80 million.
The Belgian forward, 23, moved to the Bundesliga team from RC Lens for €38.5 million this summer, beating out competition from Arsenal.
He is the most expensive signing in club history as a result. Leipzig’s management was persuaded to make Openda their record signing after he scored 21 goals in Ligue 1 last season.
Openda has four goals and two assists through six Bundesliga games this season, helping Leipzig, who are now in fifth place in Germany’s top division.
According to Sky Germany, Openda includes a release clause with a value of about €80 million, but it cannot be exercised until 2025.
After making his international debut in 2022, the 23-year-old has 11 caps and two goals for Belgium. But he hasn’t yet succeeded in unseating Romelu Lukaku as the preferred striker for his country.
The quick ascent of Openda has been accompanied by a sharp rise in his Expected Transfer Value (xTV). When the Belgian joined Lens in 2022, his xTV was only worth €7.6 million, but it is now worth €41.4 million.
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Earlier in 2023, Arsenal was rumored to be interested in signing him, but the Gunners ultimately decided against doing so. Fichajes claims that the Gunners were keeping an eye on Openda in April, and Mundo Deportivo claims that Leicester really made a move for the midfielder before they were demoted to the Championship.
Eight of the ten players that joined Leipzig this summer, including Openda, signed long-term contracts.
Leipzig also signed El Chadaille Bitshiabu for €15 million, Christoph Baumgartner for €24 million, Benjamin Sesko for €24 million, Nicolas Seiwald for €20 million, Christopher Lenz for €1 million, Leopold Zingerle for €0, Xavi Simons on loan, and Fabio Carvalho for €0, in addition to the Lens player.
