5 Young Players to Watch in Bundesliga

The German Bundesliga in recent years has produced a plethora of young talent with other European countries (apart from Spain) looking enviously at the Central European country's options for the future. The Bundesliga has also seen talented young players from other countries plying their trade with the nation's best players. This year is no different, with several youngsters hoping to establish themselves as stars as other players such as Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller have done before them. But who are in the next generation? Here are my picks for players who will establish themselves in Germany's premier competition.


Nils Petersen (Bayern München)

Name: Nils Petersen

D.O.B.: 06/12/1988

Age: 22

P.O.B.: Wernigerode, Germany

Position: Striker

Club: Bayern München

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: Carl Zeiss Jena, Energie Cottbus

After the Kroos brothers, Nils Petersen is another young East German who, to further his career, is moving to West Germany. Petersen attracted the big West German clubs last season with his fantastic performances for Energie Cottbus in the 2. Bundesliga, where he finished top scorer with 25 goals. This great scoring record persuaded Bayern to buy him for approximately €3 million. Petersen is a tall targetman who can shrug off defenders and is comfortable in the air; his main attraction, however, is his finishing ability with two feet. His awareness and off-the-ball skills also mean that Petersen exercises his finishing ability regularly, which must please Bayern's officials.

İlkay Gündoğan (Borussia Dortmund)

Name: İlkay Gündoğan

D.O.B.: 24/10/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Position: Central Midfielder

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Nationality: Germany

Previous Clubs: FC Nürnberg

The Gelsenkirchen native is moving back to the Ruhr district but in the kit of Borussia Dortmund, not Schalke, the club he played as a boy for. Gündoğan was bought for €4 million and is tasked with replacing the great Nuri Sahin at the Signal Iduna Park. While Gündoğan lacks the technical adroitness of Sahin, especially in the passing department, he has great positional sense and reads the game well. Gündoğan played in a more advanced role for Nürnberg, but is expected to play further back for Borussia and in his latest appearances he has adapted well. Could form a potentially devastating partnership with Mario Götze in the middle of the pitch; his work rate complementing Götze's creativity.

Son Heung-Min (Hamburg) 

Name: Son Heung-Min

D.O.B.: 08/07/1992

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Chuncheon, South Korea

Position: Striker, Winger

Club: Hamburg

Nationality: South Korea

Previous Clubs: None

The generation of South Korean children who watched their homeland finish as semi-finalists during the 2002 world cup are becoming very good footballers as they start to establish themselves. South Korea has a number of young talented players in their ranks, but none are more talented than Son Heung-Min. Quick with close ball control, Son also has a powerful shot which he is more than happy to unleash on unsuspecting goalkeepers. Son is at his best when running at players or on the turn where his pace and trickery assists him. One problem with Son, however, is his inflated belief in his own ability. Many times Son will look to score rather than pass when it is needed and looks to promote himself rather than help the team. When he starts putting his head up and working harder, then Son Heung-Min will be considered a great prospect and only then will he succeed.

Roberto Firmino (Hoffenheim)

Name: Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira

D.O.B.: 02/10/1991

Age: 19

P.O.B.: Maceio, Brazil

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Club: Hoffenheim

Nationality: Brazil

Previous Clubs: Figuierense

Even though Germans have cracked the code to making dazzling playmakers (Özil and Götze), sometimes they need to import them. And which country is better to import from than Brazil, the land of Ronaldinhos, Zicos and Kakas. There is no guarantee that Firmino would end up almost as good as this trio, but he is a very promising player and Hoffenheim should be given credit for following him in the Brazilian Serie B (although he was linked with Marseille and Manchester United before). Firmino is similar in stature to Kaka, athletic and quick, but he possesses great technique and demonstrated this against Borussia Dortmund where on the turn he smacked the cross bar of Wiedenfeller's net. One facet of his game which could be improved is his playmaking ability. Although the vision is there, Firmino he needs to improve on his passing range and accuracy. If he resolves this slight issue, he should shine in Hoffenheim's multicultural team. 

Anthony Ujah (Mainz)

Name: Anthony Ujah

D.O.B.: 20/11/1990

Age: 20

P.O.B.: Ugbokolo, Nigeria

Position: Striker

Club: Mainz

Nationality: Nigerian

Previous Clubs: Warri Wolves, Lillestrøm


Who needs Schürrle when you have Ujah? OK, Ujah hasn't yet reached cult status for Mainz, but at his previous club Lillestrøm, Ujah reached just that, becoming the bane of other Norwegian clubs. Ther reason why: 13 goals in 12 games so far in the Norwegian Tippeligaen and 27 goals in 36 games for the club. Ujah combines great pace with strength and an adeptness in the air, giving him a great physical profile for playing as a targetman or as a quick, lithe forward. Ujah can also finish well and hold up the ball, but he doesn't bring much else up, especially as his passing isn't up to scratch. Mainz though, probably won't use him as anything but a striker who brings goals, similar to Papiss Demba Cissé's role at Freiburg, but diminished in responsibility.