Highly Rated: The English Game Is Proving Fruitful For The Pick Of The Bundesliga Academies | OneFootball

Followers of England’s top tier regularly enjoy the performances of German household names like Manchester City’s İlkay Gündoğan, Tottenham’s Timo Werner, and Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, but another group of former Bundesliga players are making an impressive contribution — many of them below the Premier League.

For every leading player, there are a number of former Bundesliga players making an impact at all levels in the English game. Names such as Vitaly Janelt, Tom Krauss, and Patrick Bauer.

While the Bundesliga continues to be an outstanding opportunity for English players — think Eric Dier, Harry Kane, and Jamie Gittens — there is also a group of players eligible for Germany who are showing their full potential and are now gaining national team recognition at different levels, here is a closer look at some of the candidates.

Armel Bella-Kotchap

Among Southampton’s top performers in the past season was 22-year-old Armel Bella-Kotchap. Acquired for just €11m, the Cameroonian-German has been a regular starter at centre-back for the Saints.

He was one of the top performers in the VfL Bochum team which won the 2. Bundesliga title and promotion to the Bundesliga in 2021. The 1.90m defender has gone on to excel at the South Coast club.

Last September the former Gladbach player was rewarded with a call-up for the first time for Julian Nagelsmann’s team in a 3-3 draw against England.

Vitaly Janelt

Since gaining promotion to the top tier after a 75-year absence in 2021, Thomas Frank’s Brentford have surprised many.

Finishing in 13th in their first season in the top tier, in 23/24, the Bees were again chalked up for relegation but stayed up once more.

A German player who, against the odds, has made his mark in the team is Vitaly Janelt.

Since joining in 2020 from then 2. Bundesliga side VfL Bochum, the defensive midfielder has been first-choice at Brentford.

The former Hamburger SV academy player was a key contributor in the past season making thirty-eight appearances.

The left-footed 24-year-old is valued for his composure, ability to win one-on-ones, and outstanding ball distribution.

The West London club paid just €600,000 for Janelt, making him almost certainly the best-value transfer in recent years in the Premier League.

Since transferring to the English scene, Janelt has come to the attention of Germany’s selectors and has made ten appearances, all at U21 level.

Brajan Gruda

Brajan Gruda is a new addition to the squad of shooting stars Brighton Hove & Albion. Born in Speyer, the 1.78m tall midfielder is eligible for Albania through parentage on both sides, but opted to play for Germany.

Call-ups followed from U15-U21s. He made his debut for Mainz 05’s first team at nineteen and went on to gain 30 appearances for the first team before a transfer to Brighton for £29m in the summer.

A player recognized for his outstanding dribbling skills and speed, Gruda is strong in one-on-ones and has outstanding ball control.

A debut against Tottenham followed in June, the first of three for Fabian Hürzeler’s side. Gruda was invited to train with Julian Nagelsmann’s team ahead of the European Championship and is tipped to make the international side going forward.

Tom Krauss

A prospect steadily gaining recognition in the Championship is 23-year-old midfielder Tom Krauss.

Since joining Luton in August on loan from Mainz 05, the Leipzig-born player, whose strength lies in his versatility in a variety of defensive positions, has gained acclaim and was recently reported to be on the verge of being offered a permanent deal by the club.

The 14-time U21 international is another player who has the talent to gain a top-tier contract.

Patrick Bauer

Two-time English champions Preston North End have to go back to 1890 for the last time they won the English title, but the Lilywhites had an outstanding season in 23/24 under coach Ryan Lowe, finishing in 10th place.

Thirty-two-year-old Patrick Bauer is a former Bundesliga player making his mark at the club. Capped by Germany at all levels from U17-U20, Bauer hails from Backnang in South-West Germany and is a regular in the first team.

The former VfB Stuttgart academy player has made 94 appearances, scoring seven goals since joining from Charlton Athletic in 2019.

Despite his last cap for Germany being in 2011, and at U20 level, Bauer is one of the most consistent performers for the Lancashire club and signed a further one-year contract extension earlier this season.

Steven Benda

When the association between Fulham and goalkeepers is currently made, undoubtedly, Bernd Leno comes to mind. However, Stuttgart-born Steven Benda is a player to watch out for at Craven Cottage.

The 1.92m shot-stopper made himself indispensable during a spell at Swansea, featuring in 27 games. The following season, he joined Swindon Town and gained 24 appearances ahead of England U19 keeper Jack Bycroft.

The product of the VfB Stuttgart academy has more than earned its opportunity in the Premier League and is one to watch.

Jordan Beyer

Defender Jordan Beyer has made his mark despite the relegation since joining the two-time English champions Burnley.

The seven-time Germany U21 international joined on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 22/23 before being offered a four-year deal by the club.

The Kempen-born player was one of the top performers in Burnley’s recent Premier League season, making 30 appearances.

Predominantly played at centre-back, Beyer is valued for his strong technical ability and aerial prowess. He is also a player who can add value to the attack, particularly in set pieces.

In the last season, he returned to international action for Germany’s U21s, appearing against Japan and Romania.

Farid Alfa-Ruprecht

A product of the Hamburger SV academy winger Farid Alfa-Ruprecht is the top scorer for Manchester City’s development squad having joined the club at 16.

The first season was challenging for the Germany U17 international as he scored just three goals in his 17 appearances with the U18s.

Last season the dynamic and powerful talent earned 33 appearances and increased his goal tally to eight, earning himself a place in the Premier League champions U21 side.

Recognized as the Premier League 2’s player of the month in September the 1.81m Ghanian-German has been recognized by Pep Guardiola who invited him to train with the professionals earlier this season.

Paul Glatzel

Paul Glatzel is Liverpool-born but of German parents on both sides. He is a product of Melwood, the former location of Liverpool FC’s academy, which he joined in 2009 and notoriously gained accolades scoring 28 goals for the U18s in 20/21.

This recognition earned the 1.86m player the interest of Tranmere Rovers of League Two, for which he scored four goals in 16 matches.

Glatzel, who made his national team debut last October for Germany U18s in a 3-0 win against France, previously represented England at U15 and U16 levels.

In the summer of 2023, the twenty-three-year-old was acquired on a two-year permanent deal by Swindon Town. Just twenty-three, he has excellent technical ability and a very high work rate, and he has made himself indispensable, notching up 31 appearances.

Glatzel has scored eight goals so far and is currently third in the top scorer list of the Robins.

Kwadwo Baah

Another talent that should be one to look out for is Horb am Neckar-born Winger Kwadwo Baah. Baah joined Burton Albion from Fortuna Düsseldorf at the start of the season.

The Ghanaian-German is another player who has represented Germany and England at youth level. The 21-year-old has impressed in particular with his ability to win the ball, great dribbling ability, and at set-pieces.

He has made 20 appearances and scored two goals for the third-tier club so far. Manager Mark Robinson has him in high regard and has recently rewarded the player with a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2028/29.

Max Ehmer

While the players looked at are some of the players who have the potential to break into the DFB teams in the future, there are also players who, despite making their mark in England, have not been given the nod.

These include an absolute veteran of the English game who has yet to gain recognition in the German game — Frankfurt-born 32-year-old defender Max Ehmer.

The defensive all-rounder joined Gillingham of League Two in 2021 and is a regular in the first-team. Having emerged from the QPR academy, he has played in 368 games, scoring 13 goals with Yeovil, Preston North End, Stevenage, and Bristol Rovers in the last 13 years.

Ehmer has been Gillingham’s captain for the past four seasons. He has an outstanding work rate and reads the game very well. He has made an impressive 131 appearances for the ‘Gills’ since 21/22.

Whilst the chance of an international call up at 32 appear slim, Ehmer is an indispensable asset and treasured at the Priestfield stadium.

Academy players

Among other German-born players who have also yet to make the breakthrough into the national team setups are a number in the academies of English clubs. Those include Nigerian-German striker Coby Ebere, currently of the Everton U21s, defender Harmony Okwumo of Norwich City U21s, and goalkeeper Michael Zeitzen of Stoke City U18s.

While Kevin Schade, Leno, and Havertz are among the most well-known German players at the top of the game in England, there are a good number of German-born talents in the English game who are on the cusp of, or who have not yet gained greater recognition in Germany.

Just as the Bundesliga has earned itself a reputation for the advancement of English talents — think names like Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, Callum Hudson-Odoi or Gittens — for some like Bella-Kotchap or Janelt, the move to England is starting to be the making of them and they have gained national team recognition.

Many of these talented players will soon follow in their footsteps. A trend which will greatly benefit the German game