The 22-year-old, capped by Belgium from under-17 to under-21 level, has settled quickly to life under compatriot Vincent Kompany in Lancashire – six goals and two assists since his August transfer – and French reports today suggest he’ll be the man tasked with replacing Amine Harit in Morocco’s World Cup squad after the Marseille midfielder’s nasty knee injury on Sunday. Continue reading
Football’s worst kept secret is out: the Bundesliga’s perennial champions Bayern Munich have announced RB Leipzig’s Julian Nagelsmann will succeed Hansi Flick as their new manager this summer, agreeing terms for a lucrative five-year deal. However, sceptics shouldn’t be so quick to begrudge a highly-rated boss joining his fiercest competitors, being Bavarian-born after all.
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27 days after their Champions League triumph, Bayern start the new Bundesliga season at home to Schalke. The last time they dropped points to the Royal Blues? February 2017. Their team is much changed now, with summer signing and Schalke academy graduate Leroy Sane poised to start against his boyhood club. How will they fare as their latest title defence begins? Continue reading
PSG creative midfielder Julian Draxler is being held back by fierce competition for places with the Ligue 1 champions, and has yet to reach his full potential. Continue reading
After successive defeats to start the campaign, Arsenal supporters have been left wondering what if their transfer business was added to this summer… Continue reading
It’s rare that Paris Saint-Germain splash the cash on defenders. An area within their squad which needs the most attention, it’s understandable then that they decided to part with €37m (£33m) for Schalke’s Thilo Kehrer earlier this month. At 21, he represents an exciting prospect which has world-class potential and a great platform to reach it in the seasons to come.
Marseille’s talented young defender Boubacar Kamara has ended speculation on his future, at least in the short-term, by signing his first professional contract – a three-year deal with the Ligue 1 side.
Schalke’s 19-year-old attacking midfielder Max Meyer is gradually becoming one of Germany’s brightest young prospects, and a prized asset at Schalke. Certainly one to watch under Roberto di Matteo alongside the likes of Draxler and Goretzka; read below for more.
Maximilian Meyer, a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who currently plays his football in the Bundesliga with FC Schalke, is certainly a youngster with a lot of talent, potential and one to look for years to come. He burst onto the scene in German football two seasons ago, taking advantage of his chance when it came as a result of numerous injuries; with a vulnerable Schalke midfield on display, he shone under pressure and has established himself as a player with world-class potential.
BACKGROUND:
He was born in Germany on 19th September 1995 and joined Schalke’s youth ranks in 2009, before making his professional debut for the club in the Bundesliga and Champions League competitions in the 2012-13 season.
CHANCE TO SHINE:
He was very successful with the Schalke U-19 side, winning the U-19 championship against rivals Bayern Munich in their final game, having featured in 15 matches – scoring 11 and creating 11 assists in the process. As a result of his impressive performances, he was rewarded with a professional contract up until the 2015 season, and there were glimpses within his play to suggest that he would settle in perfectly with the first-team set-up at the club.
FIRST-TEAM OPPORTUNITIES:
Meyer has played 59 matches for the first-team, scoring 7 goals and creating 5 assists in over 3,300 minutes of football. It may not seem like much, but in his bit-part spell he has been able to impose himself upon the squad and impress other clubs across Europe with his confidence and technical ability at such a young age.
Last year, he signed a contract extension with the club until June of 2018, virtually sealing his immediate future with the side that had promoted him to a professional level; he currently wears the number 7 jersey and he has forced his way into being looked at for a potential spot in the World Cup winners squad.
INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS:
Meyer has been involved for both club and country since a young age, he featured as part of their U-17 squad in the U-17 championships, which Germany lost in a penalty shoot-out in the final. He was awarded the best player of the tournament, and has gradually moved up in the national team ranks from U-17, to U-19 and was named in the 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup.
He made his debut for the German senior national side in a 0-0 draw against Poland, albeit in a friendly at the end of last season – but this could easily be a sign of things to come over the upcoming years given the amount of opportunities on-show.
STYLE OF PLAY AND COMPARISONS TO MESSI:
Meyer himself is predominately a attacking midfielder, who can play at in a deeper role and his playing style has already raised comparisons to the likes of Argentine maestro Lionel Messi, who is easily one of the best players ever to grace a football pitch. Although it would be unfair to compare the two, you can see why Meyer has been dubbed the “German Messi”, because of his dribbling skills and fast-paced speed alone are two attributes hard-to-find. His technique is superb, also.
With youngsters emerging at Schalke, such as Draxler, Kolasinac and Goretzka – it’s not hard to see why Meyer has the potential to flourish with these types of young players alongside him.
Mo and Sports 