Borussia Dortmund's top 5 youngsters to watch in 2023/24
With US youth sensation Cole Campbell signing a contract at Borussia Dortmund, it's worth shedding a light on other youngsters in the club's famous talent pipeline. bundesliga.com focuses on five youngsters hoping to make the step up to the first team...
Data correct as of 17 July 2024
Age: 18 (born 15 February 2006)
Position: Striker/winger
Country: Germany (34 youth appearances, 21 goals)
Big things are expected of young striker Brunner, whose immense talent has been there for all to see in his appearances for Dortmund's U19 side, as well as Germany's U17 team. Though he is yet to make a Bundesliga appearance, Brunner is clearly eager to build on a superb season for the youth team and scored in the club's first friendly of the new season; a 7-1 victory against DEW-21 in Nuri Şahin's first outing as head coach.
Brunner played a starring role in the Germany U17 side's 2023 FIFA World Cup triumph, scoring five goals on route to victory against France. He was voted Player of the Tournament and also finished as top scorer, all of which led to Brunner claiming the prestigious Fritz Walter medal for promising German talents. His versatility in forward areas means he is able to play up front or from the flanks, where he uses his devastating pace and directness to get past defenders. He has even likened his game to Leroy Sané in the past.
Almugera Kabar
Age: 18 (born 6 June 2006)
Position: Left-back
Country: Germany (34 youth caps, six goals)
From one Germany U17 World Cup winner to another, Kabar was also a key part of that World Cup-winning youth team who could be set for an exciting year ahead. The 18-year-old joined the Dortmund academy in 2019 and has gone from strength-to-strength since. Standing at 6'1", Kabar already looks physically ready for the demands of the Bundesliga and loves to roam forward as an attacking full-back. The Dortmund U19 captain clearly has maturity beyond his years and is already showing impressive leadership qualities, including stepping up to score the winning penalty in that U17 World Cup final last year.
BVB U19s coach Mike Tullberg has hailed the youngster's prospects, telling Ruhr Nachrichten: "The boy has an incredible amount of potential. He can still improve his defensive behaviour though, and he knows that. You can also see that he has understood it. He tries to implement everything he is asked to."
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Age: 18 (born 16 February 2006)
Position: Midfielder
Country: Germany (15 youth caps, three goals)
Born just one day after Brunner, Wätjen is most certainly one to keep an eye on after breaking through to the BVB first team in the second half of last season. The 18-year-old is a Ruhr native and joined the Dortmund academy back in 2015 from FSV Gelvesberg. He hasn't looked back since and, in two seasons of U17 football, Wätjen notched seven goals and 11 assists before ramping up his figures another notch after being promoted to the U19 team last season. There, he scored 10 times, while assisting a further nine goals.
That kind of form was simply not going to go unnoticed, and former senior boss Edin Terzić decided to involve Wätjen in first-team training in the second half of the season. "Kjell is with us because he is good. We have always had the opportunity to include him in training. He has earned it through his great performances," said the then head coach. He would go on to make his debut against Augsburg in a 5-1 victory, assisting Marco Reus with a wonderful through ball from his own half. Wätjen shows great energy in midfield and a desire to both set up chances and score himself. After his impressive glimpses of potential last term, Wätjen has set himself up to soar during the 2024/25 season.
Watch: Wätjen assists on Dortmund debut in 5-1 win - highlights
Age: 18 (born 5 May 2006)
Position: Winger
Country: Belgium (15 youth caps, two goals)
Despite an injury-stricken start to his Borussia Dortmund career, a fully fit Duranville is an exciting prospect going into the 2024/25 campaign. The 18-year-old joined the club in January 2023 from Anderlecht, where he was given his debut by new Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany. The Belgian has previously said the youngster has the potential to be a future Ballon d'Or winner, and the BVB faithful will be buzzing to see him get a run of games under Şahin, who is reportedly keen to give him and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens regular minutes.
Known for his pace, trickery and direct style of play, Duranville has been likened with Jadon Sancho, Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen. It's only a matter of time, surely, before we see the Belgian dazzling Bundesliga defences with his feet and wowing the Yellow Wall with his speed. Duranville made his senior Dortmund debut in the heart-breaking final day disappointment of the 2022/23 campaign and added two more Bundesliga appearances last term. He also featured five times for the BVB U19 side last season and chipped in with four assists in that time.
Age: 18 (born 20 February 2006)
Position: Winger
Country: USA (two youth caps, two goals)
Joining Dortmund in the summer of 2022, Campbell has set the youth divisions of German football alight with his goals and assists. All-in, the Houston-native has 18 and 19 respectively across 52 appearances for Dortmund's U17 and U19 sides. That kind of output has led to him being rewarded with a long-term contract by the club until at least 2028. Campbell was part of BVB's winter training camp last term and is clearly being earmarked for a first-team breakthrough sooner rather than later.
The 18-year-old has already made a big impact for the USA U19s, scoring twice across two apperances, including a match-winning brace against England. As a club, Dortmund have an impressive history of giving opportunities to American shooting stars such as Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna. Campbell will hope that he can follow in their footsteps and he's certainly brimming with pace and skill, much like Duranville and Brunner.
With players like Campbell and the aforementioned four youngsters, Şahin indeed has a thrilling crop of players to pick from ahead of the 2024/25 season.
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