He may not yet be a household name, but Marco Reus is fast appearing to be one of the next big talents to emerge from German football. The 22 year old attacking midfielder has shone since joining Borussia Monchengladbach in 2009, scoring 29 goals in 81 league appearances. He has been heavily involved in his team’s rise to the top of the Bundesliga, currently only 2nd to Dortmund on goal difference, by contributing 10 goals in 14 matches. Like a number of his young German compatriots in recent years, his talents have not gone unnoticed.
When you look at the likes of Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze and Andre Schurrle, the future looks extremely bright for German football, with so many talented young players being introduced into the national team. Not only in an attacking sense is this the case, but defensively, with Per Mertesacker being the oldest defender in the squad by 3 years at the age of only 27. Many of these players are currently residing in their home nation as well, making the Bundesliga one of the best leagues in the world to watch at the moment. In the case of Marco Reus, he is one of quite a few on the conveyor belt of German players making their way into international football and onto the shortlists of some of the world’s top clubs.
Reus will definitely be on the radar of many managers this summer, with rumours already circulating over a potential move to Arsenal, Bayern Munich or Manchester City. He has pace, trickery and a great right foot to go with the characteristics any team would look for in an influential attacking midfielder. But what is more impressive is that he has shown his talent in a side that have somewhat struggled, only managing to stay in the division by the skin of their teeth last season. However, from the start of the 2011/12 season, Reus has helped turn the fortunes of his side around and demonstrated himself to be a stand out player for Monchengladbach.
There will obviously be a temptation to move abroad if the opportunity presents itself, particularly with a reported 18million Euro buyout clause in his contract, but this hasn’t generally been the way for German footballers. Many talented players opt to stay in the Bundesliga, with a few exceptions, which I think is great for German football as a whole and for the national side. In some respects, I hope that Reus does the same, at least for now, and try and build a career in his homeland while he is still young.
This new wave of gifted young players has brought about a new era in German football and many people now see them as the team to watch in major international competitions in the near future. But with so many young, technically gifted members of the squad, they will be keen to not only keep them playing in Germany, but also getting them regular first team football. Franz Beckenbauer recently said, amid speculation of a move to Bayern for Reus, that this could be one star too many, I think he is absolutely right.
For the good of the player and the good of the national side, I think that Reus needs to focus on his goals and responsibilities at Borussia, and not be caught up in speculation. He has a key role to play in helping his team try to reach European competition and that is one that will help him grow as a player and grow in character. He doesn’t have as much experience playing at a high level as some of his German team mates and, at this stage of his career, it is important for him to be comfortable with his surroundings and not be thrown into a new setting. If Germany can nurture their newly recognised hot prospects in the right way, there is no limit to what they can achieve on an international level.
Follow me on Twitter: @HazbTwit
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.