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INTERVIEW: “I know I will get my game time” – Ørjan Nyland confident in battle for Leipzig’s No. 1 spot
After playing a key role for Norway in their run to the World Cup quarter-finals, 35-year-old goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland went on to sort out his future, signing a two-year deal with RB Leipzig following the expiry of his contract with Sevilla FC.
Nyland is no stranger to Leipzig, as he spent the majority of the 2022/23 season at the club as a short-term replacement for Peter Gulacsi and Janis Blaswich, who both picked up injuries at the time.
Now, Nyland has returned to replace club legend Gulacsi, who has moved on to Villarreal CF, and is set to compete with the 11-years-younger Maarten Vandevoordt for the No. 1 spot at the Bundesliga club.
Vandevoordt saw his playing time increase considerably last season and has long been seen as Gulacsi’s natural successor, but Nyland has not arrived in Leipzig expecting to simply play second fiddle to his Belgian teammate and rival.
In an interview with Bulinews.com , the Norwegian dismissed any concerns about a lack of first-team opportunities at his new club.
“I know I will get my game time, so I’m not very concerned about that. I’m here to play as much as I can, and that’s my goal for the time here,” Nyland told Bulinews.com .
The veteran goalkeeper believes his World Cup displays with Norway proved his capabilities at the highest level.
“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,” Nyland said.
At 35, Nyland will bring valuable experience to a young Leipzig squad, and he is keen to take on a leadership role both on and off the pitch.
“I’m still one of the oldest guys here, like I was the last time, and my goal is to be one of the leaders. It’s a natural part of being a goalkeeper and a part I’ve taken on at Sevilla over the last three years, building up from zero to become one of the captains of the club.
“That shows a lot about me as a person on the pitch, but also off it. So that’s something I want to share here as well,” he explained.
The best package
Nyland had other options on the table after his impressive World Cup, but ultimately opted for Leipzig after deciding the club offered the best overall package – not only for him, but also for his family.
“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,” he explained, referring to the DFB-Pokal title he won with Leipzig in the 2022/23 season.
“There are still some colleagues from when I was here the last time, which also makes it easier. And obviously, it’s not just me as a footballer who has come here. I’ve arrived with my wife and three kids, so it needs to be something that suits them as well.
“I think the whole package that Leipzig could offer me and us was the best one, so that’s why we ended up here. It all came about during the World Cup when I was performing at my best, and I started taking part in the negotiations after the World Cup was over and my holiday was over.”
New Leipzig head coach Martin Demichelis, who arrived from RCD Mallorca, has made a positive first impression on the Norwegian goalkeeper.
“I know the head coach a bit from last year, when he took over at Mallorca and accomplished quite good things in a very short time. He nearly kept them up even though they were almost doomed to be relegated. That shows a lot about his work,” Nyland said.
“Before I signed, I talked to colleagues here whom I had played with before to get an impression of him as a coach. After I signed, I had the chance to talk to him. I believe in his style of play, and I'm looking forward to working with him a lot. I’m hoping to add experience and be one of his more-used players here.”
A young and ambitious team
Ivorian star winger Yan Diomande has left a void following his record-breaking move to Real Madrid for a reported €125 million plus bonuses, but Nyland is confident others will step up, pointing to Leipzig’s proven track record of developing promising talent into top-level players.
“I think we have a very young, ambitious team with a lot of talent and quality. We just sold one of our greatest players to probably the biggest club in the world for a huge transfer fee. That just shows that the work here is being done properly.
“Great players went on to big leagues after my last spell here as well, which shows that it is a club where you can achieve something – not only by winning silverware, but also by performing well enough to take the next step,” Nyland said.
At the same time, the Norwegian shot-stopper believes Leipzig’s ambitions extend beyond developing players for bigger clubs.
“I’m confident that the club doesn’t want to be just a place where you take the next step, but a club that can fight for trophies as well, even though we have tough opponents like Bayern and Dortmund. There’s a very interesting time ahead, and I’m happy to be part of it,” Nyland concluded.
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