PSV Eindhoven star Johan Bakayoko has made the switch to RB Leipzig officially this summer, making a major career step. The young talent will be donning his new club’s No. 9 jersey. He comes in with a well-deserved reputation for creativity and versatility on the field. A product of Belgian football, Bakayoko has come to wider prominence with not only some eye-catching numbers but an interesting sartorial mode of pre-match preparation.
Bakayoko’s eye-catching January form set the footballing world alight. Most recently, he bagged the first goal for PSV in their landmark victory against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League. He made opportunities like an artist, putting him in the top 20 players for chances created per 90 minutes over the tournament. Moreover, he ended the season with a staggering nine goals!
Bakayoko favors playing on the right flank but has demonstrated flexibility throughout his career, adapting to various roles including playing as a number 10 and on the left side. This flexibility has been one of the cornerstones of his evolution since his youth days in Belgium.
In deciding to join RB Leipzig, Bakayoko considered multiple options, including a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, which he ultimately declined. His reason for making this move, he told us, was “just to get better”.
A key turning point in Bakayoko’s odyssey was a talk with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The dynamic only added to Bakayoko’s desire to move to Leipzig. Klopp left no doubt as to how interested he was in crafting a project that would fully unlock Bakayoko’s talents.
“I was thinking, if someone like this talks to you in these kind of ways and he wants to build a project and he wants you to be part of it… it gives you the freedom to express yourself,” – Johan Bakayoko
After a great deal of consideration, Bakayoko decided to allow himself another full campaign with PSV before his eventual departure. He sees RB Leipzig as “the ideal fit” for him at this point of his development. His effervescent nature bursts through in each and every exchange with Werder Bremen manager and fellow compatriot Ole Werner. Werner’s philosophy really hits home with Bakayoko.
“I do not want to feel like I am pressured in some way,” – Johan Bakayoko
This mindset is reflected in Bakayoko’s serious, holistic approach to football, as he engages in advanced visualisation techniques, focusing on better perfecting his craft. He’s convinced that this systematic approach is key to his success.
“It can be everything from my decision-making to the shooting, to the passing, to go one-v-one or give a pass,” – Johan Bakayoko
By imagining various possibilities in the lead-up to matches, Bakayoko hopes to not only become an overall better player but pinpoint his weaknesses and mistakes. He’s unapologetic about judging himself on how he did against opponents from previous rounds. This direction shows his intensity of purpose, marked by an iron will to better himself.
As he looks ahead to his Bundesliga debut against Bayern Munich, it’s exciting to imagine how Bakayoko will slot into the squad. He acknowledges that Leipzig possesses the necessary attributes for success: quality players, ambitious coaching staff, and an overall hunger for achievement.
“The base is really there. You see the quality is really there. The hunger to achieve things is really there,” – Johan Bakayoko
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