Bayern Munich teen star subject to tug of war between Germany and England
Bayern Munich winger Jamal Musiala subject to interest from both Germany and England.
The last 18 months have been wonderful for Bayern Munich as they have clinched the second treble of their history. Apart from winning trophies, the success of young players at the club has pleased fans during the last campaign. Hansi Flick has shown enough in the last 12 months that he is eager to give chances to players coming from youth teams.
Jamal Musiala has been the young player that has benefitted from Flick’s approach this season. The 17-year-old winger has been consistently featuring in the matchday squads. The youngster also managed to score two goals in the Bundesliga and got his Champions League debut last week against Red Bull Salzburg.
Musiala’s rise in Munich has led to a battle between DFB and English FA as the player is eligible to play for both nations. The youngster received a callup for the U-21 squad of England before the international break. He joined up with the squad and started training with the team this week.
According to Sport1’s Florian Plettenberg, DFB tried to convince Musiala to represent Germany at the international stage. He is expected to make a final decision on his future in the next six months. DFB has not yet completely resigned to losing Musiala to England.
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Meanwhile, England U-21 coach Aidy Boothroyd admitted that Musiala deserves to play in the U-21 group but warns that there is no guarantee that he will be playing for England in the future. Musiala has come through the ranks of Chelsea before joining Bayern in 2019.
The amount of attention from the two biggest international teams highlights Musiala’s potential. The 17-year-old forward has shown maturity during the limited playing time he has got for Die Roten this season. His close control in the final third is a real asset for Flick’s team. Musiala is not going to be the main for Bayern anytime soon, but he is surely one player to keep an eye on. He has the potential to have a breakthrough campaign like Alphonso Davies had at the age of 19 last season.
Considering the tight scheduling of this campaign, Musiala is likely to get decent playing time in the senior team at the age of 17. The five substitutes rule also helps Flick to give more opportunities to youngsters in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
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At the moment, even training with the senior forwards will give Musiala valuable experience. After making a final decision on his international allegiance, Musiala can calmly just focus on his club career. Selecting Germany would benefit in the long run as there will be many Bayern players to guide him in the senior setup. Nevertheless, Die Roten has got a gem in their hands, one they should polish and make sure that they provide the right conditions for him to succeed.