Most valuable XI to have played under new interim Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick 

Some great players have played under Rangnick.
Some great players have played under Rangnick.

Manchester United have appointed German manager Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis after a tumultuous start to their 2021-22 campaign. The experienced manager will take charge for six months before assuming a consultancy role for two years.

United have appointed a seasoned \manager and administrator in Ralf Rangnick to help them steady their ship this season and beyond. Rangnick previously worked in an administrative capacity at Lokomotiv Moscow before he was appointed Manchester United's interim manager.

Before Manchester United, his last managerial role was in the 2018-19 season, when he was in charge of RB Leipzig. Ralf Rangnick never previously managed outside Germany before arriving at Manchester United.

Nevertheless, he has managed a lot of top-class players over the years. On that note, here's a hypothetical list of the most valuable XI managed by Ralf Rangnick before he moved to Manchester United.

Note: All player valuations are as per transfermarkt.


Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer - €18 million

Inter Milan vs Schalke 04 - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final
Inter Milan vs Schalke 04 - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final

Bayern Munich and Germany captain Manuel Neuer moved to the German giants from Schalke 04. Neuer played under Ralf Rangnick at Schalke in the early days of his career, losing to Manchester United in the Champions League semi-finals.

Now 35 and in the twilight of his career, Neuer is one of the most valuable goalkeepers to have played under Ralf Rangnick.


Right-back: Nordi Mukiele - €25 million

RB Leipzig vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen - Bundesliga
RB Leipzig vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen - Bundesliga

French right-back Nordi Mukiele was signed for RB Leipzig by Ralf Rangnick from Montpellier in the summer of 2018 for €16 million.

Mukiele played 31 times in total for Leipzig in the 2018-19 season. The 24-year-old has gone on to become a regular for Leipzig and a full France international.


Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano - €60 million

RB Leipzig vs FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga
RB Leipzig vs FC Schalke 04 - Bundesliga

Centre-back Dayot Upamecano joined RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2017, playing under Ralf Rangnick in the 2018-19 season. The Frenchman earned a move to Bayern Munich this summer for a fee of around €42.5 million.

Upamecano played 22 times in his only season under current Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick.


Centre-back: Ibrahima Konate - €35 million

FC Bayern Muenchen vs RB Leipzig - Bundesliga
FC Bayern Muenchen vs RB Leipzig - Bundesliga

Ibrahima Konate is another player who played under Ralf Rangnick at RB Leipzig in the 2018-19 season. Like his fellow defender and countryman Upamecano, the 22-year-old joined Leipzig in 2017. Rangnick played Konate 43 times that campaign.

Konate has already played against Manchester United as a Liverpool player this season. He had joined Liverpool this summer after his release clause was activated by The Reds.


Left-back: Lukas Klostermann - €27 million

RB Leipzig vs Hertha BSC - Bundesliga
RB Leipzig vs Hertha BSC - Bundesliga

LukasKlostermann joined RB Leipzig in 2014 for VFL Bochum. The 25-year-old played under Ralf Rangnick at the club.

The German is a versatile player who is capable of playing anywhere in defence. Klostermann featured 71 times under Ralf Rangnick in the manager's two spells at the Red Bull Arena.

Left Midfield: Emil Forsberg - €20 million

RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League
RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Emil Forsberg is a typical Ralf Rangnick player. The 30-year-old Swede played under Rangnick at RB Leipzig after joining the club when they were in the second division of German football.

Rangnick brought in Forsberg from Swedish side Malmo FF in 2015, during his first spell as manager of the club. He made Forsberg a key player for the German side as they went from a small-town club to one of the best in the German Bundesliga.

Forsberg made 62 appearances for Leipzig under Ralf Rangnick, scoring 15 times across competitions.

Forsberg is one of the most valuable players to have played under Ralf Rangnick.


Central Midfield: Marcel Sabitzer - €16 million

RB Leipzig vs Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga
RB Leipzig vs Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga

Marcel Sabitzer joined RB Leipzig from Rapid Wien in 2014, when the side was in the German second division. The Austrian midfielder went on to become a regular for Leipzig, and also captained the side.

Sabitzer played under Ralf Rangnick in both the German manager's spells in charge of the club. The midfielder scored 13 goals in 77 games under Rangnick at Leipzig.

Sabitzer joined Bayern Munich for €16 million this summer.


Central Midfield: Konrad Laimer - €26 million

RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League
RB Leipzig vs Paris Saint-Germain: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Konrad Laimer is another player who has played under Ralf Rangnick. The 24-year-old Austrian joined RB Leipzig in 2017, and played in Rangnick's second spell in charge at the club.

The midfielder made 43 appearances and scored two goals in the 2018-19 season under Rangnick.


Right Midfield: Amadou Haidara - €24 million

Sport-Club Freiburg vs RB Leipzig - Bundesliga
Sport-Club Freiburg vs RB Leipzig - Bundesliga

Amadou Haidara joined RB Leipzig in 2019. He was signed by Ralf Rangnick from their sister club RB Salzburg in January 2019. The 23-year-old Malian midfielder appeared 12 times for Leipzig under Rangnick, scoring once.

Striker: Timo Werner - €55 million

Timo Werner in action for RB Leipzig against FC Augsburg - Bundesliga
Timo Werner in action for RB Leipzig against FC Augsburg - Bundesliga

Ralf Rangnick has worked with Chelsea striker Timo Werner in the past. The striker is RB Leipzig's club-record scorer. The 25-year-old joined the club from VfB Stuttgart ahead of the 2016-17 season as a 20-year-old for a then club-record fee of €10 million.

Werner played under Ralf Rangnick in the 2018-19 season, scoring 19 goals and making ten assists in 37 appearances across competitions. He became the youngest player to reach 200 Bundesliga appearances in the same season.

Timo Werner set a number of records curing his time in the Bundesliga with Leipzig. The striker had a successful season under Rangnick despite recording his lowest goals tally at the club that season.

Werner scored 95 goals for Leipzig, making him their all-time record scorer. He enjoyed great success at the Red Bull Arena before moving to Chelsea last summer. The fleet-footed German striker won the UEFA Champions League in his first season in England.


Striker: Matheus Cunha - €26 million

Matheus Cunha in action for RB Leipzig in a pre-season friendly ahead of the 2018-19 season
Matheus Cunha in action for RB Leipzig in a pre-season friendly ahead of the 2018-19 season

Matheus Cunha is another player who has played under Ralf Rangnick. The striker first moved to Europe from Coritiba in his native Brazil in 2017, when he signed for FC Sion. Ralf Rangnick was in charge of RB Leipzig when the club brought in the then-teenager, who impressed in his lone season in Switzerland.

Cunha scored nine goals and made two assists in 39 appearances in the 2018-19 season under Ralf Rangnick. Six of his goals came in the Europa League, and one standout goal was nominated for the Puskas Award in 2018.

The speedy striker was praised by Ralf Rangnick after arriving at the club. The experienced manager labelled Cunha an interesting player with huge potential. However, he lasted just one more season at the Red Bull Arena after Rangnick moved to Hertha Berlin.

Now 22, the Brazilian joined Spanish giants Atletico Madrid this summer for €26 million.

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Edited by Bhargav
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