The 2023-24 Bundesliga campaign is one for the books, particularly for Bayer Leverkusen, as they defied the Bundesliga 2024 odds to become the kings of Germany for the first time ever. And the team can attribute their success to the immense growth of their young stars.
Xabi Alonso has done a superb job of moulding the likes of Victor Boniface and Florian Wirtz into full-fledged stars, and these two will be at the forefront of their title defence in the 2024-25 season.
Speaking of youngsters, Maximilian Beier, Xavi Simons, and Ian Maatsen were also on the shortlist for this season’s Rookie of the Season award, and for good reason, because of how influential they were to their respective teams’ success.
These are the top young players to watch for ahead of next season, and SBOTOP is here to explain why.
Victor Boniface, Bayer Leverkusen
Victor Boniface was named the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season for playing a huge role in Bayer Leverkusen’s rise to the top this year. With 19 goals and nine assists in all competitions, the 23-year-old striker is Die Werkself’s top scorer.
Before winning the award, Boniface was the Rookie of the Month for the first four months of the 2023-24 campaign, as he hit the ground running after his summer transfer from Union Saint-Gilloise, notching seven goals and five assists in 12 Bundesliga games.
The Nigerian international’s season hit a major roadblock when he picked up an adductor injury in January. However, he made his way back into the rotation, and now he is pushing for a start when Bayer Leverkusen take on FC Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final later.
Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen
Another Bayer Leverkusen star who’s had a stellar season is Florian Wirtz, who is officially the league’s Player of the Year and the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League Young Player of the Season.
Florian Wirtz has been Die Werkself’s fulcrum in the middle of the park, empowered by Xabi Alonso, as he has recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.
This is a big bounceback year for Wirtz, who tore his ACL in March 2022. Fast forward to today: the 21-year-old is expected to lead the line for the Germans in the upcoming Euros and is a hot commodity in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid reportedly interested.
Maximilian Beier, Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim are qualified for the Europa Conference League next season after finishing seventh in the Bundesliga, and Maximilian Beier is a huge reason why.
The 21-year-old centre-forward hasn’t exactly had a great start with Hoffenheim since he first joined the team in 2020, but three years later, he has finally blossomed into a star.
Beier is Die Kraichgauer’s top scorer this season with 16 goals. He was the Bundesliga Rookie of the Month in February and March, as he has scored six goals in eight appearances.
His recent call-up to Germany’s provisional Euro 2024 squad serves as validation for his outstanding 2023-24 campaign.
Xavi Simons, RB Leipzig*
Xavi Simons has been a revelation since his summer loan move to RB Leipzig from PSG. With 13 assists across all competitions this season, the 21-year-old Dutchman is Die Roten Bullen’s top playmaker and is a fixture in the Bundesliga 2024 highlights reel, and he also has 10 goals under his belt.
The month of December, in particular, was a huge month for Simons, as this was the time when he won Bundesliga Rookie of the Month and made his senior debut for the Netherlands national team. Simons also won his second Bundesliga Rookie of the Month trophy in April.
The reason there’s an asterisk on Simons’ name is because he will have to return to Paris after his loan spell in Leipzig. RB Leipzig are keen on bringing him back on a permanent basis, but it depends on whether PSG will listen to their offers.
Ian Maatsen, Borussia Dortmund*
The fourth and final nominee for this season’s Bundesliga Rookie of the Season was Ian Maatsen, who joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Chelsea.
Although he only arrived in January, Maatsen quickly established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s top youngsters, as he won the first Rookie of the Month award in 2024.
Ian Maatsen is one of the most versatile players in the German top-flight because he can play left-back or as a winger. Because of his solid loan spell at Signal Iduna Park, Borussia Dortmund will pull all the stops to pry him away from Stamford Bridge for good this summer.
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