Top 5 players to keep an eye on in Bundesliga in 2019/20

Many new players have moved this summer to the German Bundesliga.

Even the one that have remained, have not stopped showing signs of a bright future.

With the international break set to end following seven rounds of Bundesliga action, it is time to pick the five players to look out for in the 2019/20 season.

Of course, there has been no shortage of standout performers with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jadon Sancho and Timo Werner picking up right where they left off. But it is often the fresh faces that provide the most intrigue and, with that in mind, here are a quintet of new arrivals over the summer that could just have quite the impact this season.

Here are the Top 5 players to keep an eye on in Bundesliga 2019/20.

5. Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen)

The second player on this list to have made the move from PSG this summer, Moussa Diaby has thus far made just one substitute appearance in the Bundesliga – in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 win at Fortuna Dusseldorf – but is tipped for a bright future.

Upon Diaby’s arrival, he was immediately raised as a possible replacement of Julian Brandt but, considering the former Leverkusen star spent the second half of last term in a more-central role, the 20-year-old’s impact could perhaps come in a more indirect manner.

With Brandt now at Borussia Dortmund, it has been Kai Havertz who has been deployed as the most-offensive of the three central midfielders in the past two weeks and there is sentiment among some that he will eventually settle in the No. 10 role. That does leave a gap to fill in the right attacking berth and, although it has thus far been filled by Karim Bellarabi, Diaby looks like someone who only needs one chance to show what he is capable of.

4. Zack Steffen (Fortuna Dusseldorf)

From the days of Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller to more recent standouts like Tim Howard, United States have a rich history of producing excellent goalkeepers and Zack Steffen looks to be the next in line. Having signed for English giants Manchester City back in June, Steffen was immediately loaned out to Fortuna and has wasted no time in showcasing his ability.

He made an amazing ten saves on debut as Fortuna claimed a surprise 3-1 win over Werder Bremen, and has continued to impress with his shot stopping and maturity beyond his 24 years.

With his powerful build, Steffen has what it takes to succeed in Europe’s top leagues and, while he could even one day return to challenge for the No. 1 spot at City, Fortuna will be very happy to call him theirs for now.

3. Marcus Thuram (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Considering his famous surname, Marcus Thuram was always going to have lofty expectations to live up to. But while his father Lilian, a FIFA World Cup winner in 1998 and once widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best defenders, used to thrive on preventing goals, the son excels at scoring them.

Having started his career at Sochaux, the 22-year-old spent the past two years at Guingamp and his 13-goal haul last season was enough to convince Borussia Monchengladbach to bring him to the Bundesliga.

A dream competitive debut saw Thuram net to only goal of the game in a DFB-Pokal first-round win over Sandhausen, and it should only be a matter of time before he breaks his duck in the league.

2. Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)

With Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate already on their books, RB Leipzig added a third promising Frenchman to their ranks when they signed Christopher Nkunku from Paris Saint-Germain. Despite being only 21, Nkunku made 78 appearances for the perennial Ligue 1 champions in four seasons as a professional, illustrating just how highly rated he was at his former club.

Originally a winger but having displayed an ability to play centrally too, the France U-21 international took just four minutes to show Leipzig fans what they can look forward to on the opening week of the campaign, coming off the bench to net the fourth goal in a 4-0 rout of Union Berlin.

For a side already boasting the likes of Werner, Yussuf Poulsen and Marcel Sabitzer, having a prodigious talent like Nkunku waiting in the wings could be a huge boost to their hopes of winning the Bundesliga this season.

1. Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich)

It has been more of a steady rather than spectacular start to life at Bayern Munich for Philippe Coutinho, but it should only be a matter of time before he lights up the Bundesliga. Once regarded as one of world football’s brightest talents, the Brazilian was an absolute star for Liverpool and convinced Barcelona to fork out a reported £105million for his services.

While his time at Spain may not have gone according to plan, there looks to be no better place for Coutinho to rediscover his form than the Allianz Arena, which has been home to some of his most-famous compatriots including Giovane Elber, Ze Roberto, Rafinha and Lucio.

Having already shown glimpses of his quality against Schalke and Mainz, a top-form Coutinho would certainly strike fear in the hearts of all Bundesliga defences.