Nyland eager to prove himself at Leipzig after World Cup display
Nyland eager to prove himself at Leipzig after World Cup display
Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland has joined RB Leipzig as a free agent and is confident he will earn regular minutes despite facing competition for the number one spot at the Bundesliga club.
The 35-year-old Norwegian signed a two-year contract with Leipzig after his previous deal with Sevilla expired at the end of June. This marks Nyland's second spell with the club, having previously joined on a short-term basis during the 2022-23 season when both Peter Gulacsi and Janis Blaswich were sidelined with injuries.
World Cup Credentials
Nyland's confidence in securing playing time is rooted in his impressive recent performances at the World Cup. The goalkeeper featured for Norway at the tournament, where he made the joint-seventh-most saves with 16 and was one of only four keepers to save a penalty, notably denying Bruno Guimaraes from the spot during the last 16 encounter.
Speaking about his prospects at Leipzig, Nyland expressed his conviction about earning minutes. "I know I will get my game time, so I'm not very concerned about that," he told Bulinews.com. "I'm here to play as much as I can, and that's my goal for the time here."
The goalkeeper emphasized that his World Cup displays speak to his quality and justify Leipzig's decision to bring him in. "I demonstrated my level and my qualities at the World Cup. I think that has spoken enough about me. That's why they [RB Leipzig] signed me, and that's why they want to use me as well."
Familiar With the Club
Nyland also highlighted his familiarity with Leipzig and its ambitions. "I know the club from before. It's a club with ambitions, fighting on three different stages – both in the league, in the Champions League and in the cup, where we had success the last time I was here, which was a very positive thing and something I still remember very, very highly."
Despite his confidence, Nyland will need to compete with 24-year-old Maarten Vandevoordt for the primary goalkeeper position. Leipzig begins their Bundesliga campaign on August 29 at home to Borussia Monchengladbach.