RB Leipzig signs Neil El Aynaoui on loan from AS Roma

RB Leipzig has secured the signing of Moroccan international midfielder Neil El Aynaoui from AS Roma on a loan deal for the 2026/27 season. The agreement includes an option to purchase the 25-year-old player permanently next summer.

Reports indicate the deal involves a loan fee of approximately €4 million, with a purchase option valued between €25 million and €28 million, potentially bringing the total transfer cost to around €30-32 million. Leipzig sought the reinforcement following injuries to key midfielders such as Christoph Baumgartner and Assan Ouédraogo.

El Aynaoui, who has earned 22 caps for Morocco, joins the Bundesliga side to provide dynamism and intensity to the midfield. Leipzig sporting director Marcel Schäfer noted that the player’s high work rate and aggressiveness align well with the club’s playing style.

In separate transfer activity, RB Leipzig also reached an agreement to loan defender El-Chadaille Bitshiabu to Galatasaray Istanbul. The 21-year-old defender moves to the Turkish club on a loan deal that includes a purchase option, estimated at approximately €25 million after the initial loan period.