Early on Deadline Day, RB Leipzig announced the signing of FC St. Pauli left-back Marcel Halstenberg. The defender signed a four-year deal at the Red Bull Arena and, according to kicker, Leipzig have paid around €3m to secure his services.
A player in form
Halstenberg joins the club in quite remarkable form having scored two stunning strikes in St. Pauli's opening three games. Even though he was absent from their defeat yesterday, the 23-year-old looked to have found his feet in the 2. Bundesliga this season. Solid in defence he was similarly strong going forward and formed a formidable partnership with Daniel Buballa down the left-wing.
After beginning his career at Hannover 96, he rose through the youth ranks but never made it further than the second team. A move to Borussia Dortmund followed, who snapped him up for free, but the second-string eleven was all he could manage in Westphalia. Then came the move to St. Pauli, which was also a free transfer, and he began to benefit and blossom with the help of first-team football.
Halstenberg will now battle against usual first-choice left-back, Anthony Jung, and new signing Dmitri Skopintsev for a place in the starting eleven. While it looks like Skopintsev will spend most of this season with the youth teams, there will be some real competition between the other two defenders. Jung has been a staple of the Leipzig side and is also well-known for his abilities going forward.
Halstenberg gives his thoughts on the deal
Speaking to the club's official website, their new arrival said: "I am convinced that something great is developing here and, in the near future, the club will succeed in earning promotion to the Bundesliga." Halstenberg admitted that Leipzig offered him "a very good sporting perspective" and that he is looking forward to "this new challenge".