Jürgen Klopp Faces Early Setback with Assan Ouédraogo Injury

Jürgen Klopp’s Germany plans have taken an early hit before they’ve even properly begun.

The new national team coach is due to name his first squad next Thursday for Nations League games against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia. One of the brightest young names expected to be in that conversation, Assan Ouédraogo, is suddenly in serious doubt.

The RB Leipzig midfielder suffered a fresh shoulder injury during his side’s 5-0 demolition of Hamburg on Sunday. He started the match but was forced off after just 35 minutes following a collision with Albert Grønbæk, cutting short what was supposed to be another step in his steady rise.

The concern in Leipzig is immediate and deep. According to Foot Mercato, the club fear the damage is linked to the same shoulder problem that ruled the 20-year-old out for the whole of last August. That history changes the tone of this setback. It’s not just a knock. It’s a red flag.

“I think it's the same injury. Things don't look promising. We need him. He is an amazing talent, both for Germany and for our club," he said after the game.

That need is obvious. Injuries have stalked Ouédraogo ever since he arrived at Leipzig in 2024. For all his talent, his time in Saxony has been punctured by long absences: more than 380 days spent on the sidelines already, an extraordinary figure for a player of his age and profile.

Now, just as a first senior Germany call-up under Klopp felt within reach, he may be facing several more weeks out.

For Leipzig, it’s another unwelcome interruption in the development of a player they see as central to their future. For Klopp, it’s a reminder that his rebuild of the national team will have to navigate not just tactics and mentality, but the fragile bodies of the young talents he hopes to trust.