As always - the summer training camp provides the perfect stage for our talents to show they can mix it with the big names and leave an impression with the coaching staff. Pepijn Lijnders & Co have taken a few youngsters along who are at our co-operation partners FC Liefering. We are taking the opportunity to introduce them...
Valentin Oelz and Salko Hamzic
Along with Jonas Krumrey (20), who was the third goalkeeper in our squad last season, two further youngsters are joining our group of goalies at our training camp. 19-year-old Valentin Oelz and 17-year-old Salko Hamzic both appeared for FC Liefering in 2023/24 at times when Krumrey was in our squad. Both Hamzic (5 appearances) and Oelz (one appearance) were also part of our UEFA Youth League team last season. The pair of Austrian youth internationals have not only been tipped for a promising future due to their height of over 1.90 metres, but also show incredible composure for their young ages. Hamzic was even able to get his first taste of action for our first team in the recent friendly match against Kuchl.
John Mellberg
Our 17-year-old defender impressed in his first year in Salzburg in the ADMIRAL 2nd Liga with ten appearances showing he has all the talent that those who remember his father, Olof, would expect. Injury curtailed the Swede in the spring, however, as he missed almost the entire second half of the season. Nonetheless, Mellberg has a chance to lay his claim for the big time at the training camp, with the defensive specialist showing a full range of skills – with intelligent play, tackling ability and strength in the air.
Gaoussou Diakite
Having arrived in Salzburg from Mali in January, the 18-year-old became a key pillar of Liefering's surge in form in the spring in the ADMIRAL 2. Liga, with our co-operation partners claiming more points than any other side in the second half of the season. Whether from the bench or in the starting line-up – Diakite has found his feet in next to no time in Austria and has provided a real attacking impact (with four goals and three assists). He showed that in his first appearance for us in our recent friendly match against Kuchl, when he scored a goal as a substitute. The 1.82-metre striker has signed a contract with our Red Bulls until 2028 and will surely provide us with plenty of joy in that time.
Soumaila Diabate
We have another exciting young talent from Mali in our ranks, who has been with us since winter 2023 and has a contract until 2027. Over the past season, Soumaila Diabate has established himself as a regular in the FC Liefering midfield, thereby earning himself a spot at our training camp. Despite his modest 1.70 metres in height, the 19-year-old defensive midfielder is an extremely tough tackler, rekindling memories of a certain Mo Camara!
Oliver Lukic
At the age of just 16, our versatile midfield specialist signed his first professional deal with our Red Bulls in summer 2023, and anyone who saw him play last season would know that Oliver Lukic is a man for magic moments on the pitch. In 2023/24, he appeared for the U18 side of the Red Bull Football Academy, FC Liefering and our UEFA Youth League side. The boy from Vienna suffered injury misfortune earlier this year and missed a few matches in the spring. There is no doubting his talent, however, which is why the 17-year-old is part of our training camp.
Want to know what goes on behind the scenes of our training camp? What do our boys actually work on? What do our coaching team think about? Assistant coach Vitor Matos will tell you all about it - with our assistant coach reporting regularly from our training camp in Saalfelden with his diary.
