Alphonso Davies, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala and the Bundesliga's top 21 U21 players

bundesliga.com looks at the top 21 U21 players set to line up in Germany's top flight in the coming season…

Karim Adeyemi

Age: 20

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Position: Forward

Country: Germany (four caps, one goal)

Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Erling Haaland… Dortmund's love affair with prolific strikers goes back a long way - and it looks set to continue in 2022/23 with the arrival of Adeyemi from Red Bull Salzburg. Already a full Germany international, the Munich native posted 18 goals and seven assists in 30 games in all competitions last season, including three and two respectively in six UEFA Champions League appearances. Blessed with pace to burn and an incredible composure in front of goal, the prospect of him linking up with Gio Reyna, Jude Bellingham, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (see below), as well as Marco Reus and Julian Brandt is a tantalising one for Dortmund fans ahead of the new campaign.

Faride Alidou

Age: 20

Club: Eintracht Frankfurt

Position: Winger

Country: Germany (four U21 caps)

A Hamburg youth academy graduate, Alidou enjoyed a brilliant breakout debut season with the first team in Bundesliga 2 in 2021/22, his fearless displays full of direct running, trickery and - vitally - end product all helping HSV reach the promotion play-offs. His two goals and eight assists in 23 league appearances persuaded Frankfurt to swoop for him, and the youngster will form part of an exciting attacking line-up under Oliver Glasner this term. Although naturally right-footed, Alidou prefers to operate on the left wing, and with Eintracht playing in the UEFA Champions League this season, he will no doubt have plenty of opportunities to shine.

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Jude Bellingham

Age: 18

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Position: Centre midfield

Country: England (15 caps)

If you can be a first-team regular in central midfield at one of the biggest clubs on the planet by the time you are 18 then clearly you are no ordinary player. "I love the way he plays football," said Marco Rose, Dortmund's head coach last season. "He's an aggressive player who does so much for the team but also plays football with such confidence for his relative young age." No wonder, then, that he gave Bellingham more Bundesliga minutes than anyone else at BVB last season - and the England international repaid him in kind: he finished the campaign in the top three league-wide for duels won (433), sprints (922) and intensive runs (2633); in the top 14 for overall distance covered (208.8 miles / 336.1 km); and top 30 for pass completion (85.9 percent). Not only that, but the midfielder also chipped in with three goals - including an absolute worldie against Arminia Bielefeld - and eight assists.

Watch: The best of Bellingham's Bundesliga goals and assists

Jonathan Burkardt

Age: 21

Club: Mainz

Position: Forward

Country: Germany (20 U21 caps, 10 goals)

Burkardt enjoyed a coming-of-age campaign in 2021/22. The striker had previously only scored three Bundesliga goals in 41 appearances spread across three seasons, but ended up with 11 more in 34 outings last term - including strikes against Bayern and Dortmund. Indeed, that tally made him the fourth-highest German scorer in the league, behind just Serge Gnabry, Jonas Hofmann and Max Kruse. "He's developed really well," said Mainz head coach Bo Svensson. "We always knew he would - it was just a question of when. Even when he wasn't scoring he was still playing well, although that's not something the public tend to see. He's taken some steps in the right direction, but he's not done yet." Could the Germany U21 international force his way into Hansi Flick's World Cup squad? If he shows the same kind of ruthlessness as last season, there's no reason why not.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens

Age: 17

Club: Borussia Dortmund

Position: Left wing

Country: England (one U18 cap)

What is it with Dortmund and gifted young English players? Jadon Sancho forged the path, Bellingham followed it and now it seems Bynoe-Gittens is laying the tarmac in confirming Signal Iduna Park as THE place to be. The winger has been in Dortmund since September 2020 but only made his Bundesliga debut on Matchday 30 last season in the 6-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg. That was the first of four top-flight outings to date, while Bynoe-Gittens was also given his first start against Bochum on Matchday 32, impressing former boss Rose in the process: "He justified his place in the line-up." A pacy winger boasting skills, tricks and no little self-belief, it is surely just a matter of time before he is a regular on the Dortmund team sheet. "Playing without fear is my thing, it's part of my personality," he said. "Believing in yourself is the most important thing."

Watch: Julian Brandt: "Bynoe-Gittens has everything"

Kerim Calhanoglu

Age: 19

Club: Schalke

Position: Left-back

Country: Germany (two U20 caps)

If the surname sounds familiar it's because it is: the Schalke defender is a cousin of former Bayer Leverkusen and current Inter Milan midfielder Hakan. Schalke are famed for their youth work, having produced the likes of Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sane and Mesut Özil, among others, and they look to have unearthed another gem in Calhanoglu. The 19-year-old made four top-flight appearances in 2020/21 and although he was on the fringes of the first team for much of last season, he established himself in the latter part of the campaign. Solid, reliable and quick, there is plenty to like and it is no wonder he is already a crowd favourite at the VELTINS-Arena.

Alphonso Davies

Age: 21

Club: Bayern Munich

Position: Left-back, left wing

Country: Canada (30 caps, 10 goals)

Once dubbed Bayern's "get-out-of-jail-free card" by former head coach Hansi Flick due to his pace and ability to recover his position, Davies is a key cog in the Bayern machine. Already a four-time Bundesliga winner - with the Champions League also in his trophy collection - the Canada international is the most decorated player on this list. His tireless running up and down the left wing is a constant headache for opposition defenders, as are his pinpoint crosses into the box. The 21-year-old only featured 21 times in the Bundesliga last season due to injury and illness, but should be back to his unstoppable best for the new campaign.

Watch: Davies' ups and downs

Jeremie Frimpong

Age: 21

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Position: Right-back

Country: Netherlands (four U21 caps)

Frimpong made the right-back position his own at the BayArena last time out, his marauding attacking instincts dovetailing seamlessly with the eye-catching brand of football employed by head coach Gerardo Seoane. The U21 Netherlands international started 25 of Die Werkself's first 26 Bundesliga games last term, contributing one goal and six assists before a serious knee injury cut his campaign short. As impressive as that is, Seoane appreciated the defender's ability at stopping goals just as much. "I think he's very focused and disciplined in his defensive work. There are always things you can improve but he's definitely an asset for us."

Ryan Gravenberch

Age: 20

Club: Bayern Munich

Position: Central midfielder

Country: Netherlands (10 caps, one goal)

A product of Ajax's famed youth academy, Gravenberch has exquisite technique to go with an intimidating physical presence and all-day stamina. He has only just turned 20 but was a mainstay in the Dutch champions' side last term, posting two goals and five assists in 30 league outings, while he is also a member of the senior Netherlands team. Whether or not he can oust Joshua Kimmich or Leon Goretzka for a regular place in the Bayern side remains to be seen, but he is certain to provide stiff competition for a spot in central midfield.

Josko Gvardiol

Age: 20

Club: RB Leipzig

Position: Centre-back, left-back

Country: Croatia (10 caps, one goal)

With his full beard, grizzly demeanour and no-nonsense approach to defending, you could be forgiven for thinking Gvardiol was a battle-hardened veteran of the game. In reality, however, he won't turn 21 until January next year. Still, he exudes the authority and composure of a much older player, which is perhaps why he became an instant hit in his first season at Leipzig last year. Indeed, only Peter Gulacsi, Christopher Nkunku and Willi Orban played more Bundesliga minutes for Die Roten Bullen last term than Gvardiol, while he was 16th in the division overall for duels won (336), and in the top 30 for passing accuracy (over 85 percent). Head coach Domenico Tedesco hailed the centre-back's "mental strength" as among his chief attributes, so expect more of the same from the Croatia international in 2022/23.

Adam Hlozek

Age: 19

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Position: Forward / winger / attacking midfielder

Country: Czech Republic (14 caps, one goal)

With 40 goals and 36 assists in 132 senior appearances at boyhood club Sparta Prague, there was an understandable buzz surrounding the teenager before Leverkusen won the race to sign him this summer. Standing at 6'2" he is an imposing presence in attack, where he is able to play across a variety of positions, and has pace and power in abundance as he looks to drive forward whenever the opportunity arises. "His finishing will give our attack more variation," said Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes of the newcomer, who is set to form a prolific partnership with fellow Czech international Patrik Schick at the BayArena.

Ansgar Knauff

Age: 20

Club: Eintracht Frankfurt

Position: Wing-back, attacking midfield

Country: Germany (five U21 caps, one goal)

Frankfurt's attack had been somewhat lopsided for a number of years, with forward forays tending to go via Filip Kostic on the left.