A Symbiotic Relationship

Hugo Ekitike seems to be on the verge of joining the Premier League, with Liverpool the most likely of options. Along with Omar Marmoush and Oliver Glasner, amongst others, Eintracht Frankfurt’s exports continue to make it to English shores.

With this Frankfurt pipeline excelling, the Bundesliga is becoming the best league for Prem clubs to scout.

Ekitike promises to be a striker who can succeed in the Prem, just as Marmoush has proved. While the French striker struggled in different leagues, his success in the Bundesliga promises to be a good measurement for future production.

Borussia Dortmund, Frankfurt, and Red Bull Leipzig made big profits from transfers with Prem clubs in recent years. Outside of Germany, only the French and Italian leagues draw clubs to them for potential recruits. However, players from both those leagues take longer to impact their teams than those from the Bundesliga.

In the mid-2010s, La Liga played the same role, with players easily fitting into the systems at the time. However, as the styles and tactics changed, clubs needed a new pipeline. An underrated talent factory, the Bundesliga allows for more polished players to seamlessly move to the next stage of their careers.

Florian Wirtz likely remains the biggest transfer when the window closes in August, but he fits into a larger Bundesliga movement.

Moving on from previous leagues, the Prem now fully views the German talent factories as the best option for transfers.

Around the turn of the decade, a movement began to emanate from the Premier League. In need of another league to drain talent from, they settled on the Bundesliga.

Kai Havertz’s move to Chelsea kicked this off in a big way. Havertz spent most of the late 2010s as one of Europe’s hottest prospects. Resembling Michael Ballack, in terms of how he glided across the field at his size, his positional flexibility fit any club.

However, it wasn’t just the potential he oozed that excited clubs. His production, arguably, in the third-best league at that young age, pushed clubs towards him.

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For those who followed him and somewhat preceded him, such as Sane, the Bundesliga offered one of the best stages in European football. Playing for one of the league’s top five clubs allowed players to flash their potential in the Champions League for decent clubs. With more European spots on offer, there exists more opportunities to showcase players.

Leipzig never seriously threatened for the Champions League, but their competent play against European giants showcased players. Joško Gvardiol used this base, as well as excellent play with Croatia, to secure his move to Manchester City. Christopher Nkunku and Dominik Szoboszlai, along with Gvardiol, created one of the best imported classes of players from one club that the Prem has ever seen.

Returning to Frankfurt, since winning the Europa League under Glasner, they have made their bets on rehabbing certain players. Both Ekitike and Marmoush showed potential with previous clubs, but had struggled to reach the next level. By taking a gamble on somewhat damaged goods, Frankfurt reaped the rewards with their patience. 

The Bundesliga’s recent trend of successful exports depends on its clubs continuing to be competent.

Their ability to identify and showcase these talented players separates them from their competitors.

Every league finds symbiotic relations with the others. Prem clubs cycle through them, with the Bundesliga becoming their latest partner.

Before the German league, La Liga played the same role at a pretty high level. Diego Costa, David Silva, and Nicolas Otamendi all became Premier League mainstays after breaking out in Spain. Silva thrived in Manchester, becoming one of the best midfielders in the league’s history. 

As the decade went on, however, the talents coming to the Prem from Spain began to dry up. Other leagues became more enticing to players, as managerial shifts brought a greater focus on home-grown talent.

The evolution of Premier League styles and tactics necessitated more polished prospects. No longer could teams wait an extra few years to see if a player could fit. Only Chelsea operated like this recently, and they are just now seeing the fruits of their labor.

Then, of course, there remain leagues that traditionally have struggled with adapting to the Prem. Serie A players, especially strikers, fail to adapt to the change in physicality and play that makes it so much tougher to be effective. Eredivise products, whose league lags even further behind the Serie A, require even more care, with success stories few and far between.

Additionally, smaller clubs began to change their own transfer strategies, opting for global scouting and betting on those players. Both Brentford and Brighton continue to identify the talent that keeps them afloat in the midtable. Like those coming from the Bundesliga, it’s understood that this is but a pit stop before moving to a top side.

Football’s continuous evolution means that leagues will look to identify new talent pipelines.

While the Bundesliga currently profits from being the Prem’s hunting grounds, their fortunes could easily swing soon.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s rise in recent years comes down to elite choices by their front office. The Prem’s benefiting from Frankfurt and other German clubs comes from the league’s wealth and need for polished players.

However, as with any symbiotic relation, the clock will soon run out.

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