Thread by @FCBAYERNMunichD

Bayern Munich's new signing from RB Leipzig Konrad #Laimer is one of the most combative and complete central midfielders in the German top flight. A thread 🧵

Laimer is a product of the Red Bull Salzburg academy, but made his senior debut for the club's feeder side, second-tier Liefering, in 2014. ⬇️

Within months, he was back at Salzburg, where he became the Austrian Bundesliga's second youngest debutant, aged 17 years, four months and one day.

Two years later and a first-team regular, the Salzburg native was named the 2016/17 Austrian Bundesliga's Player of the Season for his part in Die Roten Bullen's third successive league and cup double.

Laimer made the switch to Leipzig that summer, spending his first two seasons in the Bundesliga flitting between central midfield and wing-back roles. ⤵️

The youngest player in the Austria squad that reached the last 16 of the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup, he made his senior international debut in his preferred holding role in a June 2020 Euro qualifier against Slovenia. 👇

The tenacious right-footer notched a brace of assists on his second outing, before scoring one and setting up two more on his third.

Laimer enjoyed a second 29-game Bundesliga season in a row in 2019/20. He finished the campaign as the division's toughest-tackling midfielder, whilst completing 82.6 percent of his attempted passes. 👇

An ankle fracture restricted the 5'10" forager who had featured in every game during Leipzig's run to the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League semi-finals - to three Bundesliga appearances the following season 👇

but he recovered in time to start all three group matches at the rescheduled 2020 Euros as Austria reached the knockout rounds for the first time in their history.

Twelve months later, the Leipzig No.27 lifted the DFB Cup - Leipzig's first major title. He helped them retain that crown in 2022/23 after recovering from a persistent ankle injury earlier in the season. ⬇️

The midfielder swelled his career Bundesliga goals tally to 10 with one each on the final two matchdays, first helping Leipzig to a first-ever away win over new club Bayern before striking against Schalke as Die Roten Bullen secured third place and CL football once again.

Plays a bit like: N'Golo #Kante

To paraphrase former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit's pre-Euro 2020 assessment of Kante, "Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is water, the other 30 percent is covered by Konrad Laimer." 👇

You'll be hard pressed to find a player who harries the opposition quite as intensively as Laimer, who is also a dab hand at shielding the ball, recycling possession and facilitating counter-attacks. 'Dirty Work' could be his middle name.

Laimer, who was reportedly also scouted by Manchester United, grew up idolising Liverpool and England midfielder Steven #Gerrard. ⤵️

: "The way he played football, the passion and the emotions that's what I was always able to - identify with," the Austrian said after his move to Leipzig.

His move to Bayern also reunites him with a familiar face who also played for Liverpool in Sadio #Mané. A fresh-faced 16-year-old Laimer got to train alongside the Senegal international in Salzburg pre-season in 2013. 👇

Although they never played together competitively, Laimer spent several years playing alongside Dayot #Upamecano and Marcel #Sabitzer at Salzburg and Leipzig, before coming together again in Munich.

: "He's going to be a key player for the club in the future. He hasn't reached his potential yet." - former Leipzig head coach Julian #Nagelsmann

"We're on the same frequency. We always want to press high and put the opposition under pressure." - Wolfsburg and Austria midfielder Xaver #Schlager

: "He is incredibly aggressive on the ball, challenges opponents very hard and brings established professionals to the ground. He knows exactly what he wants." - former Salzburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach head coach Adi #Hütter

: "I don't know what he ate or had to drink beforehand. To cover that amount of ground is crazy. He has a huge future." - Austria forward Marko Arnautovic, following Austria's Euro 2020 qualifying win over North Macedonia

Like and RT appreciated! ❤🤝

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