FOLLOWING the tragic death of his brother, Kevin Kampl will leave RB Leipzig on January 17 to return home to Slovenia.
The 35-year-old has made 283 appearances for Leipzig, but the club understands his need to be with his family.
Kampl’s brother, Seki, was only 51 when he suddenly died in October.
His dad has also been struggling with a serious illness.
Kampl said: “I will now – as I have for the past few months – focus intensively on my family back home.
“I don’t want to completely rule out a return to the pitch someday, even though it feels completely unrealistic at the moment, and I want to spend much more time with the people closest to me in the future.
“I am incredibly grateful to the club, the coaches, all the staff, my teammates, everyone in Leipzig, and especially the fans.
“I have always tried to give everything for the club, for the fans, and for my lads in the locker room.
“I wish everyone all the very best and am convinced that RB Leipzig has a great future ahead of it.”
RB Leipzig’s sporting director, Marcel Schäfer is very appreciative of Kampl’s contributions and understands that his family must come first.
Schafer said: “Kevin has significantly shaped this club during his time here.
“Over the seasons, he has matured into one of the faces of RB Leipzig, was an absolute leader on and off the pitch, and played a key role in the club’s greatest successes to date through strong and reliable performances.
“His decision to focus his energy exclusively on his family in this situation deserves the utmost respect and underlines his impeccable character once again.
“We wish him all the best for the future, lots of strength, and will of course give him a proper send-off. Even after that, the door at RB Leipzig will always be open for Kevin.”
The winger will officially say goodbye on January 17 during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Munich.
