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Even with domestic football in full swing, there’s never a shortage of players being linked with a move away from their club, while the Bundesliga is no different.
Germany is a hotbed for Premier League clubs, while English sides can generally pay a lower fee for a player from Germany than for someone from Spain or Italy, for example.
With the money that’s in the Premier League, it’s hard for a German team to turn down a substantial amount, such as the fee Manchester City paid Schalke 04 to sign Leroy Sane.
And with numerous players playing for struggling clubs, or on the verge of running down their contract, here are 5 Bundesliga footballers we could well be seeing in the Premier League in January:
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#5 Guido Burgstaller (FC Schalke 04)
To say that Guido Burgstaller isn’t a Premier League player is quite an understatement. The Austria international would be perfect for a team such as Stoke City or West Bromwich Albion, given his physique.
Since swapping the 2. Bundesliga with 1. FC Nurnberg for the Bundesliga with Schalke 04, Burgstaller has since established himself as their No. 1 forward. With the departure of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to Ajax, the 28-year-old certainly had big boots to fill.
In 27 Bundesliga games for Schalke, Burgstaller has found the net on 12 occasions, adding to his 33 goals in 63 second-division appearances. That’s quite the tally for a player who wasn’t tipped to succeed for a team that should be challenging for a Champions League spot.
Burgstaller has played in the United Kingdom before, turning out for Cardiff City in the Championship during the 2014/15 campaign. While he failed to find the net in 99 minutes of league football, it’s fair to say that he’s improved as a player in just three years during his time in Germany.
Boasting a strong physique as well as being able to score with either foot, he’s becoming one of the best finishers in German football inside the penalty area – so much so that Southampton have previously shown an interest.
At 28, it’s now or never if the Austrian wants to test himself in the Premier League.
#4 Timo Horn (1. FC Köln)
Born and raised in Cologne, it’s going to take something special to take the shot-stopper away from his childhood club. As a fan and a player, Timo Horn has seen it all.
Although he didn’t feature in the 2011/12 season, he was part of the squad that was relegated from the top flight of German football. Playing second fiddle to former Bayern Munich ‘keeper Michael Rensing may have done him the world of good, as in the following season, Horn showed promise.
It took Cologne just two attempts to return to top flight football with Peter Stoger clinching the 2. Bundesliga title in 2014, of which Horn played a starring role. Present in the Bundesliga ever since, Horn is arguably indispensable.
But, with the Billy Goats currently rooted at the bottom, the 24-year-old may well look to move on if things don’t improve. Liverpool were interested in the shot-stopper during the summer, and it wouldn’t be surprising if we see Horn at an elite Premier League club in the near future.
At just 24, Horn has all the attributes needed to become Germany’s eventual No. 1 when Manuel Neuer retires. He’s composed, shows good reflexes while the odds are always on him in one-on-one situations.
#3 Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha BSC)
At 25 years of age, Marvin Plattenhardt is yet to reach his prime while his footballing abilities suggest he could reach the very top. The Hertha BSC left-back played a key role in Germany’s Confederations Cup win in Russia with an impressive performance against Cameroon.
In the Bundesliga, Plattenhardt has established himself as one of the league’s better full-backs outside of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, arguably on par with Cologne’s Jonas Hector who rivals him for a starting place in the Germany XI.
Not only does he show defensive stability, but Plattenhardt likes to get forward while he’s one of the best crossers of the ball. His dead-ball skills are a key asset to Hertha Berlin’s game while his seven Bundesliga goals in three seasons have all come from a direct free-kick.
Linked with Napoli throughout the summer, Plattenhardt would be a perfect replacement for Alberto Moreno, should he depart Liverpool, while the influence of Jurgen Klopp could well persuade him, should the opportunity arise.
And with the way Hertha BSC are going, it’s hard to see the 25-year-old stay at the capital club beyond this season should their situation not improve, with Hertha winning just three of their opening 10 fixtures – a stark contrast to their form last season that saw them qualify for the Europa League.
#2 Max Kruse (Werder Bremen)
Returning to Werder Bremen in 2014 following a seven-year absence, Max Kruse is arguably their best player in what is a poor side.
There was a lot of hype surrounding his return and while he’s most certainly lived up to that, he’s too good for this Bremen team that has recently dismissed their head coach, Alexander Nouri.
Sitting in or close to the relegation zone for much of the 2016/17 campaign, Kruse was their standout performer and the player that helped them up to an eighth-place finish. However, things haven’t improved this season with the club currently sitting 17th, without a single win.
At 29, like Burgstaller it’s now or never if he’d like to test himself in the Premier League. With 129 games in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen, St. Pauli, Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg combined, Kruse has scored 57 goals, creating 50, while he’s also played at the highest level, turning out for Germany.
Most of his goals have come inside the area and with his left foot, but it’s arguably his mental abilities that make him the player he is. Kruse’s ability to find pockets of space inside the oppositions third is up there alongside some of the best, while his composure to pick out a teammate often goes unnoticed.
If he was to have better players around him at a club like Everton, then maybe Kruse will get the recognition he deserves.
#1 Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04)
Easily the most well-known Bundesliga player of this list, speculation of Leon Goretzka’s departure from Schalke 04 is concrete, given that his contract expires in summer 2018.
At just 22, Goretzka will be able to leave on a free transfer in the summer, should he choose not to sign an extension with the Bundesliga club and with Bayern Munich sniffing, a Premier League club will have to offer a substantial salary.
That said, Bayern are arguably the only club that can compete with a Premier League club in terms of wages, while teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United would be sited to a player of his calibre.
With four Bundesliga goals already in nine games, Goretzka is Schalke’s most influential player while almost everything good they produce on match-days come through this dynamic midfielder.
Goretzka already has 128 Schalke games to his name in all competitions, including the Champions League, while like Plattenhardt, he was part of the winning Germany squad that clinched the Confederations Cup.
While It’s hard to believe that Goretzka is just 22, it's harder to imagine him being at Schalke next season, as a number of clubs could be willing to pay a cut-price in January, so that Schalke will earn some sort of fee from his exit.
