Slovenian Kevin Kampl recently signed for €12million from Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. The €12 million man is the most expensive transfer so far in the January window.
Kampl joined RB Salzburg in 2012 from VfR Aalen for €4 million. This season he has scored eleven times, assisted sixteen times in all competitions for the Austrian Bundesliga holders.
He spoke to Kicker’s Thomas Hennecke earlier.
Thomas Hennecke: Mr. Kampl, Zinedine Zidane is your idol. Is there also a footballer at the moment that you admire?
Kevin Kampl: Of course, I think Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are outstanding. Nevertheless, it is and remains Zidane who is my role model. He is one of the best footballers of all time, for me.
Hennecke: You have been compared like with the likes of Marco Reus or Franck Ribery. Who do you resemble more?
Kampl: I'm trying to do my thing - and jealous of anyone. I compare myself reluctantly with other players. Others may be glad to [compare themselves to players], I do not.
Hennecke: They sometimes characterise you as "Li-la-mood players," the unconcerned dribbler. Do you feel this is described right?
Kampl: It is one my strong points, I like to dribble and for the first three or four meters with the ball I will look to take advantage - in order to play with a ball in the depth or with a double-pass to exploit the last line of the enemy. Whether that looks unconcerned, I do not know. I already imagine doing my part. Certain things I'm good at, others I’m not so good at. The ones I'm good at, I try as much as possible to improve.
Hennecke: Go to the start of training a week ago, Jürgen Klopp said about you: "Kevin brings a lot to the team and we give him some more." What does this mean?
Kampl: I'll see in the coming weeks and months, I still get taught everything (laughs). I can improve, and that is one reason why I came to Dortmund: I want to use my strengths, but I can also learn a lot.
Hennecke: You have Klopp as a manager, he is characterised as an "incredibly positive type." Has especially the coach made the difference for your exchange?
Kampl: We met and talked. It was a very frank conversation, without fear, to be honest. I was totally impressed; I didn’t even need to think, but I immediately said yes.
Hennecke: To the Red Bull magazine you once stated: "18 million euros I am not worthy of this sum of money." Do you think you’re worthy of the Twelve million valuation already?
Kampl: We will see in a years time, it can be the better judged then. I hope that I'm worth it.
Hennecke: In the Autumn, there was an abundant of speculation linking you with a potential departure to England or Germany. Were you bored in Austria, where Red Bull Salzburg unrivalled in the league - but is the Champions League a big goal?
Kampl: The fact that we have missed the Champions League in the summer, was a real kink for me. The fact that we have not given against Malmö from the hand (2: 1, 0: 3, agg.), it was bitter. We were all devastated. For me it was clear: If at some point I'll get the chance to play in a top league, I want they take the opportunity. For Salzburg to make the Champions League in the future, why not, they have the quality. I wish them luck.
Hennecke: It must be weird for you that your first competitive game [for BVB] Is against Leverkusen, a the club who you were once committed to?
Kampl: It will be a strange feeling. But I'm looking forward to it. I see with my old coach Roger Schmidt again, I am very much grateful to him.
Hennecke: Almost inevitably, a new player is at a club that is in the relegation battle, a beacon of hope. Is this hard to deal with?
Kampl: I have to deal with it. Even before I signed up, I realized that it might be so. If I had had no confidence that they couldn’t fight the battle, then I would have stayed in Salzburg - or ought to wait for the summer, to see what offers would come up. My position would have been quieter.