It might be looking increasingly unlikely that Scott Hogan is going to declare for the Republic of Ireland, but nevertheless we maintain hope. That's why we're fairly chuffed with the reports from the Sky Sports transfer grapevine that Rasenballsport Leipzig, the second-placed side in the Bundesliga, are interested in signing the Brentford striker.
Hogan, who qualifies to play for Ireland through his grandparents, wouldn't be the first player from these islands to be signed by Leipzig. Scottish international Oliver Burke was signed from Nottingham Forest in the summer and has been making fairly regular appearances off the bench.
RB Leipzig only lie three points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga so it would be a serious move for Hogan, who has bagged fourteen goals in the Championship this season.
Leipzig are a very young club - only formed in 2009 after Red Bull bought over German fifth division side SSV Markranstädt, they quickly advanced through the German football ranks.
They are a controversial outfit in Germany, as this brilliant piece in the 'Guardian' outlines. Their first name - which they tend to avoid in favour of the 'RB' moniker due to their sponsor - is as a result of the rules of German football that forbid German clubs from being named after sponsors. The club are accused by rivals of making a mockery of the '50+1' rule in Germany that is admired the world over (this rule states that clubs, rather than investors, must hold the majority shares in a club and therefore it allows clubs to maintain autonomy over decisions). While transfermarkt.com states that Leipzig has 750 members, the aforementioned 'Guardian' article reported that only 17 of these members have voting power, most of whom are Red Bull "employees or associates".
Fellow German club Union Berlin even staged a protest involving the wearing of black ponchos by supporters and a fifteen minute silence at the beginning of the match.
Hogan has also been linked with West Ham in recent days. Brentford stand to make a tidy sum by selling the £15 million-rated striker, who they bought from Rochdale for £750,000 in 2014.
