Elite football returns this weekend as Germany’s biggest clubs take to the pitch for the first time since March. There’s a huge excitement surrounding the resumption of the Bundesliga. Here are five players to watch out for.
Jadon Sancho – Borussia Dortmund and England
A constant target of transfer speculation and for good reason too as Jadon Sancho has been a revelation since leaving Manchester City’s youth set up for a life in the Bundesliga. Trusted with the bulk of Dortmund’s attacking prowess, Sancho, despite his tender age, has lit up the German topflight since day one with a number of scintillating displays.
Swift and skilful, Sancho’s performances have made him a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England set-up and he’s also on the radar of every major European club. With the Bundesliga the only major league back up and running, Sancho will be relishing the opportunity to impress a huge audience as the eyes of the world focus on German football.
Timo Werner – Red Bull Leipzig and Germany
Red Bull Leipzig’s superb rise to the highest echelon of German football has been a remarkable story and Timo Werner has been one of the main reasons for it. A shy striker at VFB Stuttgart, Werner’s move to the German arm of Red Bull’s footballing franchise didn’t cause many ripples back in 2016, but for a fee of €10m, it looks like some of the shrewdest business in recent transfer history.
Now the subject of interest from Liverpool, Werner is one of the hottest strikers in football and is his national team’s premier marksmen with 11 goals for Germany from 29 appearances. His record since moving to Leipzig has been stunning and it’s no surprise that his goals have registered with the world’s biggest clubs. Werner is likely to leave Leipzig at the end of this season, but he’ll be desperate to fire them to Bundesliga glory before he does leave.
Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund and Norway
Undoubtedly the best teenage player about at the moment, Erling Haaland has been phenomenal this season and his predatory instinct in front of goal is remarkable for a 19-year-old. After serving his apprenticeship in his homeland, Haaland moved to Austria in 2019 and after 17 goals in 16 games for Red Bull Salzburg, he became the subject of major transfer interest, and it was Borussia Dortmund who won his signature.
Since moving to Germany, Haaland has carried on with his impressive form with goals coming left, right, and centre for the Norwegian hitman. His stay at Dortmund so far has only been brief, but Haaland has already made a massive impact. There’s a belief within the famous black and yellow club that they can taste Bundesliga glory for the first time since 2012 and Haaland will be pivotal to those plans.
Kai Havertz – Bayer Leverkusen and Germany
A German midfielder so comfortable on the ball, there’s no surprises in seeing that Kai Havertz has long been compared to past German masters such as Michael Ballack and Lothar Mattheus. The heart of Bayer Leverkusen’s ambitious side, Havertz has already racked up over 100 appearances for his beloved club after becoming their youngest ever debutant back in 2016.
A player on the radar of many Premier League sides, Havertz’s performances have been impressive and consistent, and it’s obvious why his ability is impressing the biggest clubs in England. Leverkusen find themselves eight points behind Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga prepares to restart, but they’ll be very confident of securing a Champions League place if the pursuit of Bayern appears a step too far.
Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich and Poland
The story goes that Robert Lewandowski was heading to Blackburn Rovers in 2010 but had to thwart the move due to flying restrictions imposed by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud. Instead, the Polish hero moved to Borussia Dortmund and he’s been the best forward in the Bundesliga ever since with impressive spells at Dortmund, and now Bayern Munich.
The owner of seven Bundesliga titles, Lewandowski knows only success in Germany and he’ll be aiming to add further honours to his trophy cabinet when Bayern’s quest for their eighth successive title resumes on May 16th. At 31, Lewandowski’s career is showing no signs of winding down and his goal record is as impressive today as it has ever been. That form will be vital as Bayern battle to defend their crown.