Young Bundesliga stars you should be keeping an eye on next season [VIDEO]

Each season in every league around the world we see football prodigies emerge. The Bundesliga is rife with developing talent and the 2015/16 campaign should enable more starlets to make a name for themselves. 

Outside90 club correspondent James Mottershead casts an eye over four youngsters that could put their names in the spotlights during the upcoming season.

Max Meyer – Schalke 04

The diminutive attacking midfielder had a breakout season for Schalke in 2014/15. Meyer will aim to build on his 28 appearances and five goals next time around under a new manager after Roberto Di Matteo resigned following a disappointing spell at the club. The young German international will be a vital part of Schalke’s future along with other youthful talent at the club, such as Leroy Sane and Julian Draxler.

Given the axing of midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, Meyer will have a lot more responsibility for Schalke next season in the attacking-midfield position. Along with Leon Goretzka and Draxler, Meyer will be called upon to put attacking forays together for The Royal Blues. When comparing these players using Squawka’s comparison matrix, we learn that Meyer had the highest passing completion percentage of the three. Given his more advanced role this is an impressive statistic for the youngster, and if he can replicate that level of passing next campaign Schalke will be set for a solid season.

Goal Max Meyer Maribor 0-1 Schalke by enteritament

Levin Oztunali – SV Werder Bremen (Parent club Bayer 04 Leverkusen)

German youth international Oztunali can play in an attacking-midfield role or a deeper position depending on what his side needs, making him an extremely valuable member of any outfit he is a part of. At only 19 years of age, Oztunali still has much room for growth. Statistically he only completed 64% of passes per 90 minutes, an area of his game that needs drastic improvement if he is to reach the heights many believe he is capable of.

The young talent has shown that he can make runs into threatening areas and use his exceptional vision to pick the best pass, recording three assists last season in his 16 games. Bayer Leverkusen will be keeping a keen eye on Oztunali at Werder Bremen where he is on loan, and if he performs to his capabilities for The Green-Whites next campaign, it would be no surprise to see the prodigy become an integral part of a solid Leverkusen team in the future.

Julian Brandt – Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Brandt is another 19-year-old German youth international who has represented his country from the under-15 level through to the under-20 level in 2015. Brandt has been on Bayer Leverkusen’s books since 2014, when he signed his first professional contract. The teenager can play centrally behind a striker, or ply his trade in the wider positions. Having played 25 games in 2014-15, Brandt managed to hit the back of the net four times as well as accumulating two assists.

The teen will need to develop his passing game to allow himself to feel more comfortable on the ball – out of 37 passes per 90 minutes only 19 were forward passes. Brandt has shown that he can pick a pass when he wants though, contributing two key passes per 90 minutes, an area that he has an edge over the aforementioned duo Meyer and Oztunali. It would come as no surprise if Brandt was to have a breakout 2015/16 season given his heightened recent exposure to first team football for one of Germany’s powerhouse clubs.

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Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – Fc Augsburg (Parent club Bayern Munich)

At 19 years of age Hojbjerg can already call himself a full Danish international. On loan from Bayern Munich, Hojbjerg had a season to remember at Augsburg, where he helped the Bavarian team reach the Europa League. Deployed mainly as a central-midfielder, the young Dane can play with a more defensive or attacking bias depending on the needs of the team, protecting the back four or sitting behind the striker. His versatility is aided by tremendous ball control, completing 67% of take-ons per 90 minutes. Hojbjerg also enjoys having the ball at his feet where he is comfortable picking passes – in 2014/15 he completed 80% of his 48 passes per 90 minutes.

Bayern has signalled its intent for Hojbjerg to return to the club for the upcoming season, however, it is doubtful the Danish international would receive much playing time given Bayern’s stupendous depth. It is unlikely the young phenom would want to sit on the bench for the majority of the season, so do not be surprised to hear Hojbjerg’s name linked with other big European teams this off-season – Tottenham are already rumoured to be interested.