The most significant development at RB Leipzig this week is the return of Christopher Nkunku, who rejoins the club on a one-year loan from AC Milan with a purchase option reported at 28 million euros. The Frenchman, who scored 70 goals in 172 appearances during his first spell and won the Bundesliga top scorer award in 2023, arrives to fill the gap left by Yan Diomande's 125-million-euro move to Real Madrid. Sport director Marcel Schäfer made clear that Nkunku pushed for the move himself despite interest from other clubs, which speaks to the pull Leipzig still carries for players who know the project well.

The transfer window, however, is not closed yet. New head coach Martin Demichelis is still pushing for midfield reinforcement, and Sky reports that Leipzig are monitoring Bayer Leverkusen's Robert Andrich, a 31-year-old Germany international who has been told by coach Carles Martinez that he faces a reduced role this season. No formal approach has been made, but with the window closing shortly, a late move remains possible.

On the pitch, Leipzig opened their cup campaign with a commanding 6-0 win at fourth-division Eintracht Trier in the DFB-Pokal, a result that at least provides early momentum after a mixed pre-season that included a 1-3 loss to Bayern Munich and a 0-2 defeat to Leeds United. Leipzig host Borussia Moenchengladbach in their Bundesliga opener on August 29, and with the Champions League group-stage draw also taking place this week, the scope of Demichelis's first competitive challenge is becoming clear.