High-flying Leipzig signs French teen Upamecano

Berlin - RB Leipzig has signed 18-year-old French defender Dayot Upamecano until 2021 from sister club Red Bull Salzburg, the high-flying Bundesliga club announced Friday.

According to magazine Kicker, second-placed Leipzig has paid €10 million for the talented teenager.

The centre-back, who was being watched by Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United, could make his debut in Sunday's home friendly against Scottish giant Rangers.

"Dayot fits perfectly with our club in terms of his age, his potential and his playing style," said Leipzig's director of sport Ralph Rangnick.

"He has developed well at Red Bull Salzburg over the last year and a half and has attracted a lot of attention with his performances.

"We're pleased that despite numerous offers from international top clubs, he has decided to join us in order to make the next step in his career.

"We're convinced he will be able to strengthen our squad's quality straight away."

Upamecano was part of the France team which won the Under-17 European championships in 2015 and played 23 matches for Salzburg, who he joined from Valenciennes in July 2015.

Leipzig is second only to Bayern Munich in Germany's top flight having started its first Bundesliga season with a record run of 13 matches unbeaten.

Ralph Hasenhuettl's young guns were beaten 3-0 by Bayern in Munich just before the January winter break and are three points behind Carlo Ancelotti's Bavarian giant.

Leipzig will play its first German league match of 2017 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, who sits fourth, on Jan. 21.