Football Wonderkid Scout

 Diego Contento pictured with Robben

impress Louis Van Gaal, Contento is highly regarded at the club and is widely expected to develop into a first team regular in the 2010-11 season. Mehmet Ekici who is of Turkish decent, is an attacking midfielder who has displayed excellent versatility in his early years at Bayern. For the Under-19 team, Ekici managed to score 13 goals in 16 games, while mainly operating as a holding midfielder. His eye catching performances earned Ekici a call-up to the reserve side (Bayern II) where he has been an ever present regular, scoring 18 goals in 70 matches. At international level, Ekici opted to represent Germany and has been capped from U17 to U20 level. For the 2010-11, Ekici will spend the season on loan to Bundesliga outfit Nuernberg where he will get more first team opportunities and be allowed to further develop his skills.

Arguably the most talked about wonderkid at Bayern is the much hyped David Alaba who has already been called up at international level for the senior side by Austria. The 18-year old, who can operate in midfield on the left or centre, and also in defence has risen through the ranks quickly after moving to Bayern in 2008. Alaba has broken many records, including being the youngest player ever to play for Bayern Munich and the youngest player ever to be capped at international level by Austria. He recently competed at the Uefa Under-19 European Championships for Austria, where he scored a memorable free-kick and played a starring role in their 3-2 defeat to England. Alaba who has made just a handful of appearances for Bayern to date looks set for a bright future and is widely expected to become a first team regular in the next few seasons.

Other Austrians of note in the Bayern academy are Christoph Knasmüllner who is an 18-year old midfield former clubmate of David Alaba at Austria Vienna and 16 year-old Christian Derflinger. Knasmüllner who now plays for Bayern's reserve side has been capped by Austria at Under-17 level where he has scored an in impressive 8 goals from 16 appearances. While it may be David Alaba taking the headlines, Knasmüllner has been making impressive progress in the youth ranks at Bayern and will hope to make his first team breakthrough. While Alaba and Knasmüllner might not fit together as sweetly as Robben and Ribery, headline writers may want to prepare themselves for the future impact of the Austrian duo. Derflinger signed three years ago from Austrian team LASK Linz and is a tricky midfielder with excellent vision and an eye for goal. He has already made a huge impression on Bayern coach Louis Van Gaal who has decided that the young lad will train with the first team during the 2010/11 season and the Dutch tactician believes he is possibly the greatest talent the club has produced in the last decade.