Bundesliga
Mike Tullberg will take charge of Borussia Dortmund II at the end of the season. bundesliga.com looks at five players likely to flourish under him with the reserves before kicking on with the first team.
Dortmund have a rich history of promoting teenaged talent. Indeed, the recently departed Şahin was their youngest ever debutant before Youssoufa Moukoko made his BVB bow in November 2020 a day past his 16th birthday.
In recent years, future stars of the world game have made a teenaged debut at Dortmund: Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Achraf Hakimi and Jadon Sancho to name a few.
Who might be next to follow in their foot-steps? bundesliga.com looks at five of the most likely…
Julien Duranville
Age: 18
Position: Winger
Country: Belgium (two caps)
Julien Duranville has racked up a goal, an assist and 23 appearances all told since making his senior Dortmund debut on the final day of the 2022/23 season, and is still inside his 19th birthday. An Anderlecht academy graduate, Duranville was handed his senior debut by Vincent Kompany just two weeks after turning 16.
Now a full Belgium international - dashing any hopes DR Congo might have had of capping him - Duranville is a physical specimen, yet one who doesn't have to depend on sheer athleticism such is his skill on the ball - a fine skill set to have, and one that has made comparisons with former BVB stars Sancho and Ousmane Dembélé inevitable.
Almugera Kabar
Age: 19
Position: Left-back
Country: Germany (U19)/Libya
Almugera Kabar was handed his senior debut last October and given his first start amid a defensive injury crisis in January, in a narrow 3-2 loss to champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Formerly a striker on his journey through the academy ranks, Kabar is now firmly a left-back, and one who can defend the back post well given his 5'11" frame, as well as get forward akin the player he acts as understudy to, Ramy Bensebaïni.
Cole Campbell
Age: 19
Position: Winger
Country: USA (U20)/Iceland (U17)
A left-footed right winger, Cole Campbell can operate on either flank, but is at his most dangerous cutting inside on his stronger foot, which was the route to most of his 21 goals and 22 assists for BVB's academy teams.
The Texas-born son of former Iceland women's team forward Rakel Karvelsson, Campbell turned out for his mother's nation at U17 level but changed international allegiance after a chance meeting with former Werder Bremen striker Aron Jóhannsson, who once had the same decision to make. Now Campbell will look to emulate Christian Pulisic at the Signal Iduna Park, and for the USMNT.
Kjell Wätjen
Age: 19
Position: Central midfield
Country: Germany (U17)/Sweden
That Kjell Wätjen captained a veritable golden generation of then 18-year-olds that also included Paris Brunner and Charles Herrmann for BVB at youth level speaks volumes about his ability. Those three, and the aforementioned Kabar, were part of the Germany U17 team that won the UEFA Under-17 EURO in Hungary in 2023.
Wätjen is a box-to-box midfielder who could now be given a chance to shine with first-team midfielder Pascal Groß, Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha all wrestling with injury ar various stages of this season.
Nick Cherny
Age: 17
Position: Midfielder
Country: Germany (U18)/Russia
The only one of the five listed here yet to make his Dortmund bow, Nick Cherny is certainly going about it the right way in his ambition to change that.
Undoubtedly the star man of the U19s, Cherny - who remains eligible to play for Germany or Russia - has top scored for his side at that level this season with 15 goals and 13 assists from 35 games across all competitions - not bad for a nominal central midfielder!