Tuesday 22 May 2018 10:12, UK
Premier League clubs have already started their summer business and sides may look to Germany for potential reinforcements.
So we asked our friends at Football Whispers to pick out five stars who could swap the Bundesliga for the Premier League in the coming months.
The poster boy for football in USA could be heading to England this summer. The teenage sensation featured in over 2,000 Bundesliga minutes for the first time in his career during the 2017/18 campaign and helped Borussia Dortmund to a fourth-place finish in what was a transitional season for the club.
He's already been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool, and a fee in the region of £40m has been mooted - a potential bargain for a future world star.
It's easy to understand why these clubs are keeping tabs on the 19-year-old; the stats suggest he would terrorise Premier League defenders. In the Bundesliga he's in the top 20 for touches in the opposition penalty area (5.41), big chances created (0.38) and open play key passes per 90 minutes (1.01). And only four attackers in the German top flight can better his 2.99 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.
His expected goals per 90 (xG90) comes in at 0.23 while his expected goals assisted per 90 (xA90) is 0.25, proving there's a sustainable end product to his game that will only improve with experience.
The Bayer Leverkusen star is one of the most wanted men in German football.
Chelsea reportedly tried to sign the 20-year-old in 2015 and had a £20m bid rejected in January. Recent reports, meanwhile, claim Bayern Munich are prepared to part with as much as £55m to sign Bailey while Manchester City want to link him up with good friend Raheem Sterling at the Etihad.
Liverpool have also been linked, so when Leverkusen set their asking price expect a host of clubs ready and willing to match it.
The 2017/18 campaign was the versatile attacker's most productive to date. His 18 goal involvements were split evenly and, of players under 21 years old in Europe's big five leagues, he was in the top 10 for goals, assists and key passes per 90 minutes.
His output means Bailey is a quintessential modern-day attacker, one who is as much a finisher as he is a creator.
Bailey isn't the only Bayer Leverkusen star attracting interest. Leno, the club's No 1 goalkeeper, is on several top European sides' radars, including Arsenal and Napoli.
The Gunners are reportedly searching for a new goalkeeper to be a long-term replacement for the ageing Petr Cech and given Leno has just two years remaining on his current contract, the German could be available for the right price.
The 26-year-old was part of the Bayer side which finished fifth in the Bundesliga this season. They conceded the fifth fewest amount goals but missed out on a place in the Champions League on goal difference.
The Germany international was the less busy shot-stopper last season, making just 1.4 saves per 90 minutes compared to Cech's 1.69.
Likened to Mats Hummels, the 21-year-old Turkey international has been linked with Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City at various stages of the 2017/18 campaign.
A fee in the region of £35m is believed to be what it would take to sign the Freiburg defender and that would represent a substantial profit on the £2.5m paid to acquire his services during the summer of 2016.
But his form, coupled with his undoubted potential, warrants such a price tag.
Football Whispers' Persona model, shown in the graphic above, indicates Soyuncu's stylistic traits with the ball and without it.
He's comfortable and expressive when in possession and is a proactive defender, ideal for the Premier League.
Soyuncu is also ranked in the top 20 Bundesliga centre-backs for expected goals per 90 this season, which demonstrates he is a genuine threat from set-pieces.
The Augsburg left-back was one of the hottest commodities in the January transfer window with both Manchester clubs, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton all reportedly chasing his signature.
Yet he remained in Germany and finished the season with 12 assists, the most across defenders in Europe's top five leagues and just two shy of Thomas Muller at the top of the Bundesliga rankings.
He missed out on a place in the German squad for the World Cup but their loss could be a Premier League club's gain as the 24-year-old would have a full pre-season if he completes an early move.
Max, who could cost around £25m, is a creative force, playing 1.2 open play key passes, 1.06 set play key passes and creating 0.56 big chances per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga.
His expected goals assisted (5.51) tally was also the best in the league which goes a long way to proving this wasn't just a freak season.
