How this season's breakout Bundesliga stars stack up on Football Manager
With the Bundesliga set to return to our screens around the world in less than three days, it has presented the perfect opportunity to take stock of the season so far in Germany. In partnership with Football Manager 20, who are offering 33% off FM20 until May 14 at 6PM (GMT), we run the rule over some of the Bundesliga's breakout stars of 2019/20.
You may already have heard of some of our breakout stars but this season has been most notable in their early development compared to any previous seasons. The 2019/20 campaign could really shape the future for some players and they are the ones we have sought out here. Sorted by WhoScored rating, we will start in reverse and work out way up to the Bundesliga's ultimate breakout star this season.
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Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen) - 7.02 rating / £7.6m FM20 value
Moussa Diaby realised after just one season of first-team football at Paris Saint-Germain he needed to leave in order to fulfil his potential. He has made an encouraging start to life at Bayer Leverkusen this season and was just starting to find his best form before football was suspended.
Eased into the swing of things at Leverkusen, the 20-year-old has only started 11 times from 19 league appearances this season but his presence is starting to be felt. He has returned seven goal involvements in that time, with six of those coming in his last seven outings. Moreover, a return of 4.4 dribbles per 90 is the best return in the division this season of those to have made more than 10 appearances. FM20 also agree that dribbling is Diaby's best technical stat (15/20).
Kai Proger (Paderborn) - 7.02 rating / £3.35m FM20 value
At the age of 27, Kai Proger is only now enjoying his first taste of Bundesliga action after building a career in the German lower divisions. Paderborn are unsurprisingly facing immediate relegation from the Bundesliga but Proger can be pleased with his adapation to the German top-flight.
The Paderborn winger has played a direct hand in eight goals (two goals, six assists) in 23 league appearances in 2019/20 and is no doubt the club's most creative player. He ranks top at the club for both 1.7 key passes per game and dribbles per game (2.5). Paderborn have only claimed seven WhoScored Man of the Match awards all season and Proger is responsible for three of them. It's therefore unsurprising crossing and dribbling (both 13/20) are among his best technical base stas on FM20. Valued at just £3.35m, he could prove a cheap pick up for save.
Sebastian Schonlau (Paderborn) - 7.03 rating / £2.8m FM20 value
Sticking with Paderborn, Proger isn't the only player at the club experiencing their first Bundesliga campaign. Centre-back Sebastian Schonlau is in the same boat as his team-mate. The 25-year-old has spent his entire career at Paderborn and is now reaping the rewards for his boyhood club. Schonlau has started 19 games at centre-back for Paderborn this season and has even contributed with two goals.
However, it's at the back where he has impressed most. Schonlau averages more clearances per game (6.2) than any other player in the Bundesliga in 2019/20 and he ranks fifth in the division for most tackles per game (2.8). A tackle success rate of 74% is also impressive considering Paderborn are bottom of the league with just 16 points. FM20 also reaffirm Schonlau's ability to read the game with base stats of 14/20 for anticipation, and 15/20 for concentration. Moreover, tackling is also his best technical base stat (14/20).
Denis Zakaria (Gladbach) - 7.15 rating / £12m FM20 value
Denis Zakaria is certainly not a new name. England supporters will be aware of the 23-year-old due to various games against Switzerland down the years, while he has regualrly been linked with a move to the Premier League. However, this season has been far and away the most impressive of his career, suggesting he could finally be ready for a high profile move.
Zakaria is an imposing central midfielder capable of breaking up play and driving his team forward with possession. The Gladbach midfielder has a tackle success rate of 72.1% and dribble success rate of 77.9% in the Bundesliga this season. Not only is he difficult to get past but he is also tough to dispossess once he gets going. His real life statistics are backed up by FM20 who rate the Switzerland international as 17/20 for tackling and 14/20 for dribbling.
Suat Serdar (Schalke) - 7.41 rating / £7.75m FM20 Value
Suat Serdar's progress has caught everyone by surprise this season. The Schalke midfielder finished last season with a WhoScored rating of just 6.58 but this season his average is 7.41. Incredibly, that represents rating swing of +0.83 year-on-year. Serdar has scored five more league goals (7) than he managed last season and dribbles per game have almost doubled from 1.4 to 2.7 per game. Tackles per game are also up from 2 to 2.8 per game.
Despite a difficult 2018/19 campaign, FM20 realise Serdar is a midfielder of potential and still gave him solid base ratings for both tackling (15/20) and dribbling (14/20). 18/20 for aggression may cause concern after he was sent off twice last season, but the 23-year-old hasn't received a red card in 2019/20 and has just two bookings in 18 league appearances to date.
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig) - 7.52 rating / £10.1m FM20 value
Like Moussa Diaby, Christopher Nkunku left Paris Saint-Germain over the summer to further his development and their loss has certainly been to RB Leipzig's gain this season. Nkunku had only ever flirted with the PSG first-team prior to this season but headed into lockdown as a Leipzig regular. The 22-year-old has 12 assists to his name in the Bundesliga this season and is the only player in Europe's top five leagues to set up four goals in a single game this season.
The Frenchman impressively averages a goal or an assist every 90.7 minutes of playing time in the Bundesliga this season. Moreover, a return of 4 key passes per game is unsurpisingly the best in the Bundesliga of players with at least 10 appearances in 2019/20. FM20 believe Nkunku to be technically sound, with 15/20 for dribbling, 14/20 for corners and 14/20 for technical ability. Despite being a creative player, he is also incredibly industrious, illustrated by a base stat of 17/20 for work rate.
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - 7.53 rating / £6.4m FM20 value
Last but not least is Bayern Munich wonderkid Alphonso Davies, who is our Bundesliga breakout star of 2019/20. Davies has been a revelation for Bayern this season and his performances have been all the more impressive when you consider he has spent the campaign at left-back and he is a winger by trade. The Canada international has made Bayern's club-record signing, Lucas Hernandez, a forgotten man this season.
Davies has one goal and four assists to his name in 21 league appearances and with a deeper starting position he is capable of using his athleticism to drive forward at full speed. He averages 3.6 successful dribbles per 90 in the Bundesliga this season and ranks 14/20 for dribbling on FM20 and 16/20 for acceleration. Given his surprise rise this season, it might be possible to prise him away from Bayern on your FM save.
