Joel Imasuen: Who is the American striker making strides at Werder Bremen?
American Joel Imasuen has come to the fore with Werder Bremen and following his goalscoring exploits in a recent senior friendly with the Green-Whites, was offered a first-team debut against Wolfsburg. bundesliga.com sheds some light on the talented 19-year-old forward ....
Stats correct as of 4 April 2024
Age: 19 (born 27 October 2004)
Club: Werder Bremen
Position: Forward
Country: United States/ Nigeria (uncapped)
Key stats
Born in Atlanta, Imasuen had a brief spell at Hertha Berlin as a 16-year-old before he joined the club's capital neighbours Viktoria in 2021. After impressing in the regional junior Bundesliga by scoring 10 times in just 15 appearances, the American was snapped up by Werder, who saw plenty of promise in the tall, agile striker.
Imasuen took time to adjust to his new surroundings, but something was clearly brewing at Bremen, for the frontman burst into life alongside his more experienced strike partner, Maik Łukowicz, in the 2023/24 campaign. The American notched four goals and an assist in his opening four games as Werder's reserves looked to gain promotion from the German fifth tier.
A hat-trick against KSV Vatan Sport preceded four Imasuen goals in the victory over SV Hemelingen. He would repeat the latter feat as the Green-Whites triumphed over Union 60 Bremen in February 2024. Senior management were keeping tabs on the talented striker all the while and there was little surprise when the 19-year-old was offered his chance in a senior friendly against Hanover in March, a game in which he found the net.
Imasuen subsequently began training with Ole Werner's first team and he made his senior Bremen bow during the Matchday 27 defeat against Wolfsburg at the Weserstadion, coming on to replace Romano Schmid in the game's closing stages.
Plays a bit like: Patrik Schick
Tall, mobile, good in the air and boasting excellent footwork and close control, Imasuen's knack for tidy finishing and ability to drag defenders out of position marks him out as not all that disimilar to Bayer Leverkusen's in-form striker, Schick. Add in the American's awesome pace, and you have quite the attacking package.
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Did you know?
Although born in the US, Imasuen has Nigerian roots, so could yet opt to represent the Super Eagles at international level.
What they're saying
"Overall, Joel has developed well and we would like to continue on this path with him."
- Clemens Fritz, head of professional football at Werder
"We had the idea of throwing everything forward [so looked to Joel]; he showed real presence in training and against Hannover [in a friendly]." - Bremen coach Ole Werner on sending Imasuen on for his senior competitive debut against Wolfsburg
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