RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose has hinted that they intend to sign Kosta Nedeljkovic permanently from Aston Villa this summer.
[RB Live cover comments](https://rblive.de/news/rb-leipzig-vor-duell-gegen-sc-freiburg-kategorie-vermeeren-nusa-bitshiabu-wann-bekommt-nedelkovic-von-rose-sein-startelfdebuet-4011454) from the Leipzig manager made during his pre-match press conference this week, in which Nedeljkovic was a subject of discussion.
The 19-year-old joined Leipzig on loan from Aston Villa in January but has only made three brief appearances in the Bundesliga so far.
That would indicate he has not made an immediate impression at the German club, casting doubt on whether they would want to activate the purchase clause they negotiated with Aston Villa for the summer.
It seems that is not the case, though, and instead Rose is full of praise for the defender and what he’s seen so far, insisting he’d be happy to throw him into the starting 11 if need be.
“(He) gives Leipzig things that we were still looking for in the squad,” he said.
“(He’s) rock-solid, technically good, hard-working and fighting full-back with great speed who still has great potential for development and yes, I would trust myself to actually throw the boy in from the start.”
With plenty of the season remaining, it appears the plan is to blood Nedeljkovic slowly rather than put him in the deep end.
That might be the best route given the youngster was not a regular at Aston Villa either, with Unai Emery preferring other options despite right-back being an issue this season.
Rose wouldn’t be drawn on activating the clause to buy Nedeljkovic directly, but hinted that’s very much in the German side’s plans.
“We are in the middle of a change that we have been initiating for two years. Kosta is part of it, the boy will be good,” he added.