Bundesliga News

6 young Bundesliga newcomers who have impressed this season

By Rune Gjerulff   @runegjerulff

Several new faces have made their breakthrough in the Bundesliga during the first half of the season. Here are the players who impressed the most.
Amine Harit.
Amine Harit.Uwe Speck/WITTERS
Another Bundesliga season – another load of young talent. The league is known for brimming with young exciting players, and many new faces have impressed during the first half of the season.


Below is a list of the six most impressive newcomers.

Amine Harit, Schalke 04
Schalke wasn't the only club, who was after 20 year old Amine Harit during the summer, as he has revealed that he turned down Bayern München to join 'The Royal Blues'. And you can certainly see why the Frenchman caught the eye of various European top clubs after his debut season in Ligue 1 at Nantes. During his first half season at Schalke, the young offensive midfielder has already shown several glimpses of his great vision and blistering skill.

Leon Bailey, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
The 20-year-old Jamaican winger joined Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian side Genk for €20 million in January, and he came off the bench eight times during the 2016/17 season. However, it’s this season that he has had his real breakthrough in the Bundesliga. Bailey started the season as a substitute, but he was quick to clinch a spot in the starting eleven. Arguably, the quick and technically gifted winger has been one of the best Bundesliga players of the season, and he has already netted six times and set up four goals in 14 league matches this season.

Dennis Geiger, Hoffenheim
After impressing for Hoffenheim's reserve team last season, the 19 year old defensive midfielder was given the chance in the first team by coach Julian Nagelsmann at the start of this season – and he hasn't disappointed. With his excellent positioning, passing and tirelessness, Geiger has been an important link between Hoffenheim's defence and midfield. The midfielder might only be 172 centimeters tall, but he isn't afraid to throw himself into physical midfield battles.

Jann-Fiete Arp, Hamburger SV
It was only a matter of time before Jann-Fiete Arp would make his first team debut, but he might have been given the chance sooner than many expected. The teenage striker is only about to turn 18, but with two goals in his first nine Bundesliga matches, he has already shown that he can manage himself in Germany's top league. While making his way through Hamburger SV's youth ranks and playing for Germany's Under-17 national team, Arp has been scoring goals for fun, and great things are expected from him in the future.


Weston McKennie, Schalke 04
The 19 year old American midfielder was signed by Schalke 04 in August 2016, and after spending less than a year with the club's academy squad, he was promoted to the first team in May 2017. He made his debut in the end of last season, and during this season he has established himself in the starting eleven as he has been handed nine starts by Schalke coach Domenico Tedesco. The young American is big and strong and has shown great promise in a box-to-box role in the heart of Schalke's midfield.

Jean-Kevin Augustin, RB Leipzig
When France won the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 2016, Jean-Kevin Augustin outscored Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe and was named the best player of the tournament. But when Mbappe joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, Augustin decided to leave the French champions and move to RB Leipzig where he has been very promising so far. The striker is powerful, quick, a great finisher and also technically very gifted. Until now, he has mostly been used as a forward at RB Leipzig, but with his skill and ability to pick out a pass, he can also be pushed further back in a more creative role.


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