Tyler Adams is working his way back to full fitness with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig and manager Julian Nagelsmann is not taking any risks with the midfielder.
Fighting a foot injury to start the season, Adams has yet to appear for Leipzig as the club continues to push through several domestic competitions. The 20-year-old made 10 appearances for the club in 2018-19 after arriving from New York Red Bulls, registering two assists.
After not playing a part in the opening two-and-a-half months, Adams is not being rushed back to the first team just yet.
“He also worked very well yesterday,” Nagelsmann said prior to his club’s 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over Zenit St. Petersburg on Wednesday. “He has participated in training, but rather as a semi-active player. The basic idea is to integrate him during these two weeks more and more, then he’ll do everything after two weeks. Of course there is the residual chance that it’s a bit earlier.”
Adams played a positive role in Leipzig’s team last Spring, helping the club finish third in the Bundesliga table and reach the German Cup Final, in which they lost 3-0 to Bayern Munich. His absence has forced other players into the starting lineup, not only for Leipzig, but also for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
After missing out on the Concacaf Gold Cup this past summer, Adams has yet to return for both friendlies and Concacaf Nations League matches against Cuba and Canada. Should he return to full fitness with no setbacks in the coming weeks, he could play a major part in Leipzig’s six-match slate inĀ November before an additional five more matches ahead of the start of 2020.
“If he remains healthy over the two weeks, then after he will definitely be an option again, which will do us a lot of good,” Nagelsmann said.
Leipzig is currently fifth in the Bundesliga table and top of their Champions League group, which has seen wins over Zenit and Benfica so far.
Let him play we need him back desperately no more Michael Bradley!