Every year we get to see some breakthrough stars in this beautiful game and the Bundesliga is one of the best leagues to nurture young talent and welcome new entrants.
Last season Christopher Nkunku wrote the Bundesliga 2022 news headlines with a string of man-of-the-match performances for Red Bull Leipzig. He scored 20 goals and made 13 assists as he well and truly exploded onto the European stage, earning six caps for France and winning the 2021/22 Bundesliga Player of the Year award.
Over in Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz had a brilliant campaign cut short by an anterior cruciate ligament injury in March, but before that he had become the first player under 19 years of age to score ten Bundesliga goals and earned four caps for the German national side.
This season there will be plenty of new faces appearing in the German top flight, notably Sadio Mane who will be taking his bow for Bayern, and he’s one of five players the SBOTOP team has picked out to keep an eye on.
Karim Adeyemi – Borussia Dortmund
One of the most exciting signings of the German summer so far has been the arrival of 20-year-old Karim Adeyemi from Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg. The Germany international has signed for a fee of 30m Euros and has a five year contract at the club which is well known for developing young stars.
He joined Salzburg in 2018 and had an outstanding campaign last term, scoring 23 goals and making eights assists as his club marched to the title and the knockout phase of the Champions League. Die Schwarzgelben beat Liverpool and Barcelona to his signature and the club clearly believes Adeyemi can step up from Salzburg as Erling Braut Haaland did before him.
Benjamin Henrichs – Red Bull
At 25 years of age Benjamin Henrichs has settled at Red Bull after a period of finding his feet. A product of the Bayer Leverkusen academy he won seven caps for Germany in 2016 and 2017 but then didn’t really kick on over the next two seasons. He transferred to Monaco but didn’t settle in France and was loaned to Leipzig in 2020.
The German giants were impressed enough to trigger a buy out clause and signed Henrichs for 15 million Euros last summer, and he had a good first full season, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals. Now that he looks settled again Henrichs will be pushing for a place in the Germany team and hoping to star at wingback for Red Bull.
Jamal Musiala – FC Bayern
Still only 19, Jamal Musiala already looks comfortable in the German top flight with 11 goals in 57 appearances for Die Bayern over the past two campaigns. He can play as a winger or an attacking midfielder and has already earned 15 caps for his country. Musiala learned his craft at Premier League club Chelsea before moving to Munich in 2019.
His breakthrough season was 2020/21, but 2022/23 could be the year he becomes an established world star and we could have another Nkunku on our hands. The Bundesliga 2022 betting odds reckon Die Bayern will win the league again; and Musiala is ready to play his part.
Paulinho – Bayer Leverkusen
21-year-old striker Paulinho signed for Bayer Leverkusen in 2018 for a record fee of 20m Euros for his former club Vasco da Gama. A Brazil under 17 and under 23 player, he starred alongside Vinicius Junior and Alan as the Selecao won the South American U17 trophy. An undoubtedly talented forward, very quick and with confidence on the ball, Paulinho will hope this could be his breakthrough campaign.
He has scored seven goals in 53 appearances for Die Werkself, many of them from the bench, and Paulinho will aim to build up a partnership alongside the prolific Czech Patrick Schick in the coming campaign.
Sadio Mane – FC Bayern
And then, of course there is Mane. He’s a new face in the Bundesliga and the world will be watching to see if, as expected, he takes the German league by storm. He has superb pedigree, winning African Player of the Year in 2020, a year after coming fourth in the Ballon D’Or.
With an African Cup of Nations medal to go with his Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup medals with Liverpool Mane has won it all. And now, the big question is…can he break through as the star of the Bundesliga in 2022?
The seemingly imminent departure of Robert Lewandowski will mean Mane is the main man in Munich and he must be a decent bet for the Golden Boot, particularly if Lewi heads off to Spain.
Top scorer would be Mane’s idea of a breakthrough!
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
