28 April 2021
By Adam Englert (published on the United Stand Website)
Three lesser-known Bundesliga players to watch out for that could solve Manchester United’s problem in the summer transfer window.
Be it Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland or Ibrahim Konate, some of the world’s most sought-after footballers are currently plying their trade in Germany’s top division. This is no new phenomenon, as previously some of the biggest transfers in Premier League history have come from the Bundesliga, such as Kevin de Bruyne, or more recently Kai Havertz and Timo Werner.
In the past, United have also dived into the German market purchasing the likes of Henrik Mkhitaryan in 2016 and Shinji Kagawa in 2012 to name some of the most prominent acquisitions.
This summer, United are heavily linked to Sancho and Haaland, with both precocious starlets being valued well-above the £80 million mark. However, considering the ever-rising transfer fees, the financial backlash over the collapsing of the Super League, as well as the stiff competition both domestically and internationally in the transfer market, it is by no means certain that United will get their hands on the star prizes.
Hence, it may be worth taking a closer look at other potential targets, who may have gone under the radar of the British media but are by no means less capable than their more prominent counterparts.
For this reason, we have chosen three players from the Bundesliga who would not only perfectly fit into United’s current squad, but also be considered a bargain in an already fiercely competitive transfer market.
Florian Neuhaus Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach Age: 24 Position: Central Midfield Market Value: £33 million (transfermarkt.com)
Neuhaus may not be the flashiest footballer to grace the Bundesliga, however the young German international is certainly one of the most influential and hard-working. The modest 24-year-old, who graduated from the famous 1860 Munich academy, of which the likes of the Bender twins, Kevin Volland or Julian Weigl have emerged in recent years, can play both as a CDM, as well as an attacking midfielder, usually playing in a midfield three as one of the two more attacking players.
Although his game could be perceived as slightly unspectacular, Neuhaus has become indispensable for his current side Borussia Mönchengladbach, for whom he did not miss a single minute in their recent run to the Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Neuhaus’ style can be likened to that of his fellow countrymen Toni Kroos or Ilkay Gündogan, insofar that he makes the game look easy, carefully selecting each pass, silkily moving from box to box, only tackling when necessary, while most importantly always being one step ahead of the opposition.
So far this season, Neuhaus has starred against Real Madrid and Inter in the group stage of the Champions League, while scoring the winner against treble winners Bayern Munich in the league in December. Gladbach are essentially resigned to losing one of the league’s biggest talents in the summer, with Bayern Munich and Liverpool already stating their interest in the technically astute midfielder.
Thus, Manchester United are to act quickly if they want to sign Neuhaus who has been capped five times and is expected to make Germany’s Euro 2020 squad. The versatile midfielder could not only be a welcome alternative to the effective, albeit slightly one dimensional, McTominay and Fred axis, but in a worse-case-scenario, also could be a replacement for Paul Pogba in midfield if the World Cup winner were to leave in the summer.
Unlike the Frenchman, Neuhaus is unlikely to dazzle and dominate the opposition, however the young all-rounder whose best years are certainly ahead of him, would not only bring finesse and creativity to the table, but also some consistency to our defensive midfield which we have been lacking for so long.
Wout Weghorst Club: VFL Wolfsburg Age: 28 Position: Centre Forward Market Value: 26 million £ (transfermarkt.com)
At 28 going on 29 Wout Weghorst may be considered too old for a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs, taking into account that the Dutchman has hardly featured for any noteworthy clubs, spending the first part of his career in the lower echelons of the Dutch football pyramid.
However, if we look past Weghorst’s age and his humble career beginnings, we see a footballer who has been consistently overachieving for his club, currently on the verge of single-handedly taking his side Wolfsburg back to the Champions League next season. Weghorst, maybe more than other footballers, impresses by virtue of his statistics.
The Dutchman was famously scouted by Alkmaar using an algorithm a la Moneyball, a gamble which soon reaped rewards as Weghorst netted 31 times in 60 appearances for the Eredivisie side, before moving to Wolfsburg in 2017. Since then, the 6,4-foot striker has been an instant success in the Bundesliga netting 53 times in 96 appearances for Wolfsburg.
Weghorst’s exploits have been particularly impressive this season, scoring 20 times in 31 games, for a team who have generally struggled to score. With an expected goals (xG) average of only 16,85, “no nonsense” Weghorst has been ruthless in front of goal, meaning that this is surely his last season for the Volkswagen-owned team, considering the growing interest in the forward.
In searching for a replacement for the departing Edinson Cavani, United might be initially put off by Weghorst’s age and lack of experience at the highest level. However, in the past, age has only ever been a number for our number 9s, considering the positive impact of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at age 35, van Persie at 29, or Cavani himself this season at 33.
Furthermore, the Dutch international’s physical and aerial presence could be a perfect fit for the Premier League, especially against deep-defending opposition where crosses and dead balls are so vital in breaking down defences.
Weghorst is unlikely to be an awe-inspiring signing, but in the current climate where free scoring centre forwards are scarce and in high-demand, Weghorst’s impressive record may just be the missing numbers in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s lottery ticket.
Sasa Kalajdzic Club: VfB Stuttgart Age: 23 Position: Centre Forward Value: 15 million £ (transfermarkt.com)
Having only played 30 games in Germany’s top flight Sasa Kalajdzic has already topped one of the charts. At 6ft 7, Kalajdzic is currently the tallest player in the Bundesliga. However, the young Austrian of Serbian heritage is not just head and shoulders above the rest in height, but also rapidly growing his profile as one of Europe’s biggest talents.
After moving to South West Germany from Admira in 2019 the Austrian has burst onto the scene, scoring 14 goals in his debut Bundesliga season, including a scoring run of seven games in a row. This is particularly formidable since his club Stuttgart were only promoted to Germany’s top tier this season, currently lying in 10th.
Unsurprisingly, the powerful forward, who despite his size is very accomplished with the ball at his feet, while being virtually unstoppable in the air, has already been compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic with whom his style bears a striking resemblance.
Most recently, Kalajdzic showcased his raw talent and eye for goal in the UK in March, scoring a brace against Scotland at Hampden Park, in a game where Austria actually created very little.
So far, RB Leipzig have already been knocking on the young Austrian’s door, a club who have a knack of spotting stars of the future and who very rarely get it wrong on the transfer market. One of the reasons Kalajdzic is not fitted with a higher price tag, is down to the injuries he has endured at a young age, having already suffered a broken foot and knee ligament damage before the age of 22.
However, the now-23-year-old has come back stronger and been one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting forwards in a league already boasting world class strikers such as Lewandowski and Haaland. A move to United may come too soon for Kalajdzic since he has very little experience at the highest level, yet on the other hand waiting one more season may be too late from a United perspective, as the youngster’s stocks are likely to soar with the Euros commencing in less than two months.
Like Weghorst, the maverick forward would not be a marquee signing, but he would certainly fill the vacuum left by a departing Edinson Cavani, while also adding something extra to Solskjaer’s team who have at times lacked a presence in the box. Kalajdzic certainly has the skill-set and technique to play for any top 6 side, while his power and physique would make Sean Dyche envious, surely meaning that a move to the Premier League is only a matter of time. At 6.7 while growing in maturity and ability, Kalajdzic may just be the player to take our attacking play to new heights next season.
Opinion
In a summer where the Glazers are expected to spend big, essentially to mask over the European Super League betrayal, it may appear pointless looking at transfer bargains when we are hoping to splash out on the likes of Haaland, Kane or Rice. Yet, in the past, our big money signings have not always hit the ground running and in some cases disappointed from beginning to end, be it Alexis Sanchez, Angel di Maria, or Juan Sebastian Veron to name a few.
On the other hand some lesser known transfers such as Chicharito for £6 million in 2010 or Nemanja Vidic for £7 million in 2006 have not only exceeded expectations but gone on to become club legends at a club which already sets the bar incredibly high regarding success.
Neuhaus, Weghorst and Kalajdzic are just three Bundesliga players who could potentially fit the bill at United, since Germany’s top tier boasts a huge number of raw talent who are developing into some of the world’s best footballers.
With a big summer ahead and Champions league football beckoning, it is probably essential to scour Europe’s lesser known leagues for young exciting talent, as bolstering the squad’s depth must surely be one of Solskjaer’s main aims. United desperately need to strengthen if they are to challenge for the title next season and on recent evidence the Bundesliga may be the place to find the final piece to the puzzle, to finally turn Solskjaer’s squad into a title-winning team.