Top 5 U-23 German players in the world
Germany might not have been able to win the UEFA Euro 2016 despite many terming them as the favourites for the title. However, the national team is definitely one of the most feared units in the footballing world, and it is their sustainable development model that was adopted years ago to help develop local talent that is finally bearing fruit for the team.
For every starter in the national side, there are a number of able replacements to cope with the injury and form troubles that might arise and it can be said that Germany arguably boasts the best set of U-23 players at the moment. While some of them have already established themselves at superstars owing to their performances over the course of the last few seasons, some of them are beginning to emerge as world-class talents, and we believe it is not long before they don the national colours at a regular frequency.
In this segment, we bring you the five most exciting U-23 players from Germany at the moment.
#1 Leroy Sane
The 20-year-old had an impressive time at Schalke, becoming a regular in the side despite being in his late teens years and has since moved to Manchester City in a big money move. While he might still be getting used to the pace and physicality of the English Premier League, the German has already showcased in bits and pieces, why is amongst the most highly rated players to have emerged out of Germany in recent years.
The biggest strength of Sane is his pace, and he has been able to combine it well with skill on the ball to torment the defenders in the past. He can create time and space for himself as well as his teammates with his movement on and off the ball, a quality that makes him a constant menace to the opposition. Additionally, he is equally efficient in the final third, often making the right choice/picking the right pass and also possesses a deadly left foot and a sound goal scoring ability for a player his age.
Another aspect of his game that does not get highlighted as often as it should be is his defensive contribution. Sane is always willing to track back and share the defensive burden of his teammates.
In Pep Guardiola, Sane is currently under one of the best managers in the world, who is unafraid to give the youngsters the chance they deserve and it is only a matter of time before the German finds his feet in a new country and takes the League by the storm.