Bayern Munich new boy Michael Cuisance has two seasons of Bundesliga football behind him. - © DFL

bundesliga

Michael Cuisance: Who is Bayern Munich's future French midfield maestro?

28.09.2020

Kingsley Coman, Corentin Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez and now Michael Cuisance. Bayern Munich have added to their growing French contingent - but what’s young Cuisance’s story? bundesliga.com has the skinny…

Michael Cuisance

Age: 21
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: Central midfielder
Country: France (46 youth caps)

Key stats

Cuisance was just 17 when he first moved to Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach from the Nancy U19s. He went on to play 24 times in the Bundesliga in 2017/18, starting nine and chipping in with two assists. As well as becoming Gladbach's youngest ever player to begin a Bundesliga game, aged 18 years and 45 days, the 5'9" Frenchman was also voted the fans' Player of the Season.

For all his debut-season promise, Cuisance was restricted to just 13 competitive appearances in 2018/19. He came off the bench for his only assist of the campaign in the Matchday 16 win over Nuremberg, but made just one start. That didn't stop France U20 coach Bernard Diomede taking the Strasbourg native to the FIFA U20 World Cup 2019, though. Cuisance duly delivered two goals and one assist across four games during his country’s run to the last 16.

Since his arrival at the Allianz Arena in the summer of 2019, Cuisance has made 11 senior appearances for Bayern and scored one stunning goal against Wolfsburg on the final day of last season.

Plays a bit like: Mesut Özil

Cuisance operates in a slightly deeper central midfield role to that which 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mesut Özil is best known for, but there’s no escaping the similarities. The Frenchman has a wand of a left foot, is a veritable bag of tricks and for a good chunk of 2017/18 was Gladbach’s go-to guy from set plays.

Michael Cuisance is a left-footed playmaker can play either in attacking or defensive midfield roles. - DFL

Did you know?

German sports website Transfermarkt ranked Cuisance eighth in their top 10 list of most valuable players born in 1999, on the back of his impressive first season at Gladbach. Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz (third) and Hertha Berlin's Arne Maier (ninth) were the only other Bundesliga representatives to feature in a group headed by AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

What they’re saying

"At 17, he was already as far along as I was when I was 22!" - Gladbach midfielder, Christoph Kramer

"Michael is an exceptional player for his age. He's a game-changer." - former Gladbach coach, Dieter Hecking

"Michael's strengths are in his possession of the football. He has a great technique, a strong left foot and a great mentality." - Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic