Five Bundesliga Future Stars to look out for
With Germany the first major footballing nation to return to their grounds for fixtures, all eyes have turned to the Bundesliga for fans of the beautiful game.
Many fans from around the world could be watching the German top-flight for their very first time.
Aside from Jadon Sancho, Kai Havertz and the like, the league is fertile ground for young footballers from around the world and, with an even larger global audience than usual, these prodigies will be sure to be aiming for their best form.
As the Bundesliga returns, albeit in an unusual manner, here are five young players from the division who you should watch out for:
Joshua Zirkzee | Forward | Bayern Munich | 18
Bayern Munich marksman Robert Lewandowski is arguably one of the best strikers of his generation and is still, at 31, putting up remarkable goal-scoring numbers. With the Pole firing on all cylinders, it is still a hefty challenge for any young forward to get any minutes.
However, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee has scored three goals and notched one assist in just 170 minutes of football. The towering teen caught the eye of manager Hans-Dieter Flick and scored a stoppage-time strike to put Munich ahead of Freiburg before Gnabry ensured the win minutes later.
Zirkzee was monitored by Arsenal and Chelsea after scoring 33 goals in 29 games at youth level for Feyenoord.
Flick has described Zirkzee’s progress as “remarkable” and it will be intriguing to see what form the Dutchman is in after an unprecedented break.
Moussa Diaby | Winger | Bayer Leverkusen | 20
Lining up alongside Kai Havertz and Leon Bailey, former PSG winger Moussa Diaby has often seen his superb performances go under the radar.
The Frenchman, who turns 21 in July, has netted four goals and provided five assists since the turn of the decade and continues to impress under Peter Bosz.
Diaby has been praised for his Robben-esque abilities, preferring to play on the left and cut inside, using his right foot to create opportunities for teammates or take a shot.
He is dispossessed just once a game - the same as Dortmund star Jadon Sancho - and dribbles more than him per game with an average of 2.9 to the Englishman’s 2.6.
The Parisian could be a delight to watch as the Bundesliga returns and is sure to be on the radars of many clubs come the next transfer window.
Marco Richter | Winger | Augsburg | 22
In what has been a fairly poor campaign for Augsburg, young winger Marco Richter has been a shining light for supporters of the Bavarian side.
The former Bayern Munich trainee scored 40 goals in 60 appearances for Augsburg’s “B” team from the right-wing. He has also netted three times in eight games for Germany at under-21 level and seen his attributes lead to comparisons to Marco Reus.
This season, the versatile youngster, who can also deputise off the left or down the middle, has scored four and assisted three in 22 appearances which may seem unremarkable compared to others on this list.
However, he is a superb asset to Augsburg and could go on to improve if playing with better players in a better system elsewhere.
Sebastiaan Bornauw | Centre-Back | Cologne | 21
Belgian defender Sebastiaan Bornauw has been an instrumental part of Cologne’s set-up as Markus Gisdol’s outfit pushed towards mid-table following a poor start to the campaign.
The club won just two of their first 14 games of the season but, since December, have won eight in 11.
Belgian-born Bornauw has shown all the qualities of a modern-day centre-back.
The former Anderlecht man has pace in abundance and, at 6ft3, is able to tower above other players in both boxes.
He boasts 1.6 interceptions per 90 minutes; not far off Leipzig’s sought-after Dayot Upamecano.
Dribbling and pushing forward into midfield are traits very much in demand when it comes to a contemporary defender and Bornauw is ahead of most in these areas. He has posed a significant threat from set pieces, scoring five times for his club.
Integral to Cologne’s fight for a mid-table spot, Bornauw is sure to turn a few heads as the Bundesliga restarts and in months and years to come.
Suat Serdar | Central midfielder | Schalke 04 | 23
The oldest player on this list, Schalke midfielder Suat Serdar is an exciting young midfielder to keep an eye on.
The former Mainz man made the move to Gelsenkirchen in 2018 and has shown he has abilities beyond his age. Serdar is a unrelenting runner and hard-worker in the middle of the field, leading to comparisons to Leon Goretzka.
He has played deep and further forward in the centre and has shown he can excel in either role.
The midfielder has put up a 75% pass success rate this season; not far off Goretzka’s 79% in his final season as a Die Knappen player.
Serdar is also Schalke’s leading goalscorer in the league this season; another useful string to his bow.
Despite slumping to a defeat against rivals Dortmund upon the return, Serdar will be eager to bounce back and regain the form which put him in this list.
Article by: George Hartley
Thumbnail by: Samuel Slaney
Images interpreted from: Getty Images & Bundesliga