HE’S A SANCHO-STOPPER
insists his old club still has the financial muscle to invest in the 20-year-old.
“I think Jadon is a special case,” said the ex-england midfielder. “Whoever gets him, the fees are going to be significant but he is a player for a decade. He walks into any of our great teams, like Man
City, Liverpool, even a Barcelona or a Real Madrid. His level is that good.”
The Bundesliga will be the first big European league to return to action on Saturday. Bayern
Munich CEO Karl-heinz Rummenigge (left) said: “We will have an audience of billions. This will be an advertisement for our football, for the Bundesliga, and for the whole country.”
Hertha Berlin 29
Defender
He might have failed to make the grade at Manchester City but Boyata has found his footing in Germany since joining Hertha Berlin last summer. The Belgium centre-back has started 20 times in the Bundesliga this season, with the 29-year-old finally realising the potential he showed earlier in his career. Boyata has impressively made the most clearances – 120 – of any player in Europe’s top five leagues this season and while Hertha have endured a difficult campaign, going through three different managers, the performances of their defensive rock have been a particular highlight.
Borussia Monchengladbach
27
Forward
Borussia Monchengladbach have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the
Borussia Monchengladbach
23
Midfielder
Monchengladbach are just six points off the top. Key to their success this season has been their defensive record, with Marco Rose’s side conceding just 30 goals in 25 league games. Denis Zakaria has been integral to this. He is a protective midfielder in the mould of Wilfred Ndidi or N’golo Kante. “I love to win back possession and I also like carrying the ball and taking on opposition players,” said Zakaria in an interview a couple years ago. “But I need to be more efficient, score and assist more goals and improve in the air.”