"That has to be said" - club chief reveals: without Jürgen Klopp there would have been no record deal for RB Leipzig

"Without Jürgen Klopp there would be no Diomande in Leipzig, that has to be said," Mintzlaff said, and then explained the new Germany coach's move from his role as football boss at the energy drinks manufacturer to the DFB: "He was someone who encouraged the respective sporting decision-makers to make bold decisions as well. So that hurts us. But we are also pleased that the national team now certainly have the best possible option as coach."

During his year and a half as Global Head of Soccer, Klopp left "many marks" at RB and his departure had "naturally hurt", Mintzlaff said. Even so, Red Bull knew they could not turn down the DFB's request after the botched World Cup in the summer. Klopp's desire to succeed Julian Nagelsmann was simply too strong: "He said to me that no other coaching job, meaning a league job, would have appealed to him and that he would gladly have remained with us in his area of responsibility. But the national team - even at that point - were something different for him and something that moved him emotionally. And then we decided: Then we will let him go."

Klopp was actually tied to a long-term contract with Red Bull until 2029, and there was no exit clause. Mintzlaff also dismissed the rumour that talks with the DFB and the former Liverpool coach involved him continuing to represent Red Bull as Germany coach: "A lot was written about that. Including that Jürgen Klopp would still be sitting on the bench with the Red Bull cap on. But we never had that discussion." It had "never been about a transfer fee", he added.

Instead, the DFB are donating a large sum to the Red Bull foundation 'Wings for Life'. In addition, three internationals will be played in Leipzig by 2030. For Mintzlaff, a "great gesture". Klopp signed a contract with the association, also running until 2030, and begins his tenure this month with an international against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

Yan Diomande came to RB Leipzig from the second Spanish division

Mintzlaff also went into more detail on the Diomande deal, which would not have happened without Klopp. Leipzig, apparently acting on Klopp's advice, signed the then 18-year-old from CD Leganes in the second Spanish division for a hefty 20 million euros. The move also raised a few eyebrows inside the club at the time.

Last year, captain David Raum revealed: "I looked at his market value in the summer and then checked how much we had paid. Afterwards I briefly asked whether we had made a typo in the offer or what the problem was." Raum's scepticism did not last long, though: "After the first training session I went to Marcel Schäfer (Leipzig's sporting director, editor's note) and congratulated him on this transfer."

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Klopp and Schäfer got that one right with Diomande. The Ivorian made an immediate impact in the Bundesliga, moved to Real Madrid for 125 million euros and became the most expensive new signing in their history. That happened just a few weeks after Mintzlaff, who sits on RB Leipzig's supervisory board, had declared him unsellable: "There you can see that as a supervisory board member I really can't decide anything in Leipzig. Because I did say I wouldn't let him go." Even so, given the size of the deal and the parties involved, he accepted that an agreement was reached in the end: "That was already a decision which, in my opinion, is also understandable."

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