Bundesliga
Nmecha: “I wanted to play in the Bundesliga”
New Wolfsburg striker Lukas Nmecha is raring to go in the new season after returning to his homeland over the summer on a one-year loan from English Premier League champions Manchester City.
The 20-year-old was born and raised in Hamburg, but moved to England when he was nine and rose up through the ranks at the Citizens. He had a loan spell at Preston North End last term, but was inspired to come to the Bundesliga after seeing the successful breakthroughs made by young players in Germany's top flight in recent years.
"Jadon Sancho and Reiss Nelson took the step to go from England to Germany and got the chance to play here and to improve," he told the official Wolfsburg website. "As I'm German, it's probably easier for me coming here than going to Spain, for example, or to another country."
Indeed, the attacker, who made three first-team appearances for Pep Guardiola's side, has already settled well in the city. "Wolfsburg's nice and quiet," he told Bild newspaper. "I've already made a lot of friends in the team and I've been really well received here."
The presence of fellow Germany U21 international Felix Uduokhai, with whom he spent the summer at the UEFA U21 European Championship, has also made for a seamless transition to the Volkswagen Arena.
And while Nmecha made the move with a view to getting more playing time than he would likely be afforded in England, he is aware it will not be easy with last season's 17-goal top scorer Wout Weghorst very much the first-choice forward.
"Before I came here, the coach [Oliver Glasner] told me that he already had a really good striker in Wout – and I can see that every day in training," he said. "But there are a lot of games to come in the upcoming season and I'll do my best to play in as many of them as possible."
Indeed, with the Wolves in the UEFA Europa League and set to kick off their DFB Cup campaign away to Hallescher FC on Monday, Glasner's side could play over 50 competitive games in 2019/20, depending on their progress in cup competitions.
It was, however, the appeal of the league that drew Nmecha back to Germany: "I definitely wanted to play in the Bundesliga. Wolfsburg were the best team that wanted me. The club's competing on three fronts and I want to be involved in that. I believe I'll get the chance to prove myself here."