Five of the best young talents impressing in the Bundesliga 

Erling Haaland has taken the Bundesliga by storm since signing for Borussia Dortmund in January.
Erling Haaland has taken the Bundesliga by storm since signing for Borussia Dortmund in January.

As the Bundesliga became the first major football league in Europe to resume competitive matches following the outbreak of Covid-19, the eyes of the world have been on the action on display.

It has sharply brought into focus just how much talent there currently is in the Bundesliga, with some of the best young players in the world now plying their trade in Germany at clubs which promise them significant game time as they seek to build their careers.

In this article, we look at five of the best young players in the Bundesliga.


#5. Marcos Thuram

Marcus Thuram has been in fine form since the resumption of the Bundesliga
Marcus Thuram has been in fine form since the resumption of the Bundesliga

The son of World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, Marcus has enjoyed an excellent first season in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach. Signed after an impressive spell with Guingamp in 2018-19, Thuram has been a key figure in Monchengladbach's rise to prominence under manager Marco Rose.

Thuram enjoyed a particularly good start to life at his new club and, by the time he netted against Basaksehir in the Europa League on 12 December, he had scored 10 goals in just 22 games.

However, he then lost form in surprising fashion, going 11 games without a goal before the Bundesliga was suspended. The break clearly came at the right time for the France U21 international, though, as he has scored four goals in four matches since football in Germany resumed.

Thuram's all-round game is really impressive. Quick and strong, the way he presses the opposition's defence so effectively as the team's lone striker has been a key part of Borussia's success in the Bundesliga so far this season. Alongside his goals he has also registered eight assists. He also puts his height and strength to good use winning three aerial duels per game.

Thuram is undoubtedly a raw talent who will only continue to get better and better as gets more football under his belt.

#4. Timo Werner

Timo Werner has scored four goals since the return of the Bundesliga
Timo Werner has scored four goals since the return of the Bundesliga

Widely expected to leave RB Leipzig this summer, Timo Werner has firmly established himself as one of the best young strikers in the global game over the last few seasons.

After joining Leipzig in 2016, Werner has scored in impressive and regular fashion in the Bundesliga, notching up 92 goals in 154 appearances for the club as they have taken on the might of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga.

However, in 2019-20 Werner's performances have gone up another level. He has scored 31 goals in 40 appearances, including four in the Champions League as Julian Nagelsmann's young team has impressed in Europe.

However, there is more to his game than just goals as he also has nine assists in all competitions. He is also an excellent outlet for his team-mates with an impressive pass completion rate of 76.4% this season. He also averages nearly four shots per game, proving a constant menace to opposition defences and goalkeepers.

#3. Kai Havertz

Kai Havertz has established himself as one of the best attacking players in Bundesliga.
Kai Havertz has established himself as one of the best attacking players in Bundesliga.

It is hard to believe given his extensive experience that Kai Havertz is still just 20 years old. The talented attacking midfielder has been a vital part of Bayer Leverkusen's midfield for the last three and a half seasons, playing 143 games and scoring 43 goals. He is also the youngest player to reach 50 and 100 appearances in the Bundesliga.

In his first two seasons he registered just four goals in each campaign but in 2018-19 he scored an impressive 20 goals in 42 games and recorded seven assists. He has carried that form in to 2019-20, with Havertz having already bagged 15 goals in 38 games. The creative talent has seven assists to his name and an excellent pass completion rate of over 85%.

#2. Jadon Sancho

Jadon Sancho has thrived in Germany since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2017
Jadon Sancho has thrived in Germany since joining Borussia Dortmund in 2017

Arguably the most devastating young attacking talent in the European game, Jadon Sancho's decision to leave Manchester City and join Borussia Dortmund for more regular game time in 2017 has paid off in fine style.

After making 12 appearances in that debut season, Sancho enjoyed regular game time in 2018-19. scoring 13 goals and registering a very impressive 19 assists.

Sancho has got even better in 2019-20. He has scored 20 goals and notched up 20 assists in just 39 games and that form has quite rightly attracted the attention of some of the biggest clubs in world football. It has also brought him recognition at international level with 11 caps and two goals to his name for Gareth Southgate's England team.

Sancho has undoubtedly benefited from being able to develop his game away from the glare of the Premier League and, at just 20 years old, a strong case can be made for him continuing his development in Bundesliga for another season at least.

While Dortmund would surely love to keep hold of him they will also recognise that they will be able to command a big transfer fee for his services should Sancho decide the time is right to move on.

1. Erling Braut Haaland

Haaland has scored 13 goals in just 14 appearances since signing for Dortmund in January
Haaland has scored 13 goals in just 14 appearances since signing for Dortmund in January

Despite Borussia Dortmund only signing him in in January, the German club will be bracing themselves for bids for their goalscoring phenomenon Erling Braut Haaland.

Still only 19 years old, Haaland has been nothing short of sensational in 2019-20, first with Red Bull Salzburg and now with Bundesliga giants Dortmund. At Salzburg he scored 28 goals in just 22 matches, including eight in six in the Champions League, and had many observers expecting a move to one of the biggest clubs on the continent in January.

However, as they so often do, Borussia Dortmund caught everyone by surprise and secured his services for a cut price fee reported to be in the region of twenty million euros.

His start to life for his new team in a new league was nothing short of spectacular, scoring eight goals in just his first four appearances in the Bundesliga, and his tally across the season for both clubs now stands at 41 goals. He also has far more than just goals in his repertoire as he also has 10 assists this season, highlighting that he is a creator as well as a scorer of goals.

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