Bundesliga: 10 youngsters to watch this season

The Norwegian is already considered one of the best strikers in world football, having scored 57 goals in 59 games for Dortmund since joining from RB Salzburg in January 2020. Haaland has pace, strength, aerial ability, intelligent movement and can finish with either foot. He has been heavily linked with a move away but BVB insist he will remain at the club this season.

The sky’s the limit for winger Wirtz, already a starter for Leverkusen despite having only made his first team debut as a 17-year-old in May 2020. He became the German top-flight’s youngest-ever scorer a few weeks later with a goal against Bayern Munich. Wirtz already has 12 goal contributions in 36 Bundesliga appearances, and will be expecting to add plenty more this season.

After swapping the English second-tier for Borussia Dortmund last summer, Bellingham instantly became a regular for the Black and Yellows, making 46 appearances in all competitions. A tenacious, hardworking midfielder, with the confidence to drive with the ball, Bellingham is already playing years ahead of his peers, and has the potential to become a key man for club and country this season.

Having clocked a top speed of 35.3 kmph, Diaby is comfortably the quickest player at Bayer Leverkusen and a powerful weapon on the break. His end product has steadily improved since he joined from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, as his nine goals and 17 assists in 60 Bundesliga appearances testify to his potential. The left-sided winger will be hoping to improve his goalscoring record this term.

The son of former Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and USA midfielder Claudio Reyna, Giovanni has football in the blood. The creative midfielder came through the youth ranks at Dortmund, before making his first team debut against Augsburg in January 2020. Reyna will be hoping to add greater consistency to his game, but has impressed with his dribbling and passing in more than 60 senior appearances so far.

While England and Germany squabbled over Musiala’s preferred international vocation, the deep-lying forward, who represented both at youth level, quietly got on with impressing for Bayern, eventually opting to represent Germany ahead of Euro 2020. Since making his Bayern debut last year, Musiala has become a regular for the champions, and has Thomas Müller as a role model for club and country.

Formerly known as Silas Wamangituka, the Congolese forward has been shrewd business for Stuttgart. Since joining from French second-tier club Paris FC in 2019, the pacy winger has scored 21 goals across two campaigns, helping Stuttgart to promotion before a mid-table Bundesliga finish last season. Still only 22, Katompa Mvumpa has great potential, and is attracting attention from Europe‘s elite.

After joining Hoffenheim’s academy as 17, Baumgartner has developed into the key player for the first team. His 16 goals and 13 assists is an impressive return for an attacking midfielder, but made all the more so by the fact that he’s still only 21. Baumgartner is also a regular for the Austrian national team, making 14 appearances and scoring four goals for his nation.

Teenage sensation Moukoko was tipped for greatness long before he made his first team debut for Dortmund last November. An early-developer, the striker scored 141 goals in 88 appearances for the club’s various youth sides. Now an established first teamer after becoming the Bundesliga’s youngest goalscorer aged just 16 and 28 days, Moukoko will be looking to add to his 15 first team appearances.

Left-back Netz joined Borussia Mönchengladbach ahead of the new season after breaking through and dazzling for Hertha Berlin last term. An intelligent reader of the game and composed in possession, Netz is considered one of the brightest talents in Germany. Expect him to improve on his 11 Bundesliga appearances this season, whether at Gladbach or still in the capital.