Javairo Dilrosun is a name that may be unfamiliar to those in England, but followers of the Bundesliga will know all about this dazzling winger.
Struggling for game time at Manchester City, the youngster left the north-west for a new challenge on German soil, agreeing to join Hertha Berlin in 2018. From his earliest days with
An Old Head on Young Shoulders
Dilrosun may only be 21 years of age but he's hardly fresh on the scene, having already made over 50 appearances for his country across various age groups.
The wideman has hit 16 goals for the Oranje in that time, whilst he's been equally profitable at club level, netting five in 22 matches for Hertha and adding seven assists.
It's not just on the pitch where Dilrosun has gained valuable experience, with his youth career spent at Ajax and then the Etihad Stadium. He's guaranteed to have learned a thing or two from two world-class academy setups.
Big-Name Admirers
Links to sides as big as Chelsea and Liverpool will not faze Dilrosun, who has spent much of his early life in the limelight. The English pair are not the first big-name clubs to have taken a look at the wunderkind.
When he was still with City, the Daily Mail ran a story claiming the Mancunians were in a battle to keep the academy prospect at the club, with a number of illustrious European having a sniff around.
Headlining the list were fellow Germans Borussia Dortmund and Italian champions Juventus, though that was the tip of the iceberg. Seemingly every club from Valencia and Benfica to Swansea and Derby County wanted him.
Brilliant Bundesliga Beginning
Dilrosun began life in the Bundesliga with a bang, firing in two goals and setting up a further three in his first four games in the competition.
Those stellar displays at Hertha earned the forward a call-up to the Dutch senior team, going on to make his debut off the bench in a 2-2 draw against – of all nations – Germany.
Dribbling Is His Forte...
Ante Covic employs a style of play at
That leaves Dilrosun with fewer opportunities to showcase his silky skills, but...it hasn't really stopped him. He is successful with more than two-thirds of his dribbles on average, earning him a fearsome reputation.
His runs are hugely effective for the side, Dilrosun opening up space for teammates as well as himself. Once through on goal, his first-rate finishing ability and steady composure has left keepers helpless.
...But Passing Is Not
Two areas of Dilrosun's game which need tweaking are his passing and decision-making. Too often, opponents have been able to dispossess him or pick off an attempted ball to a fellow Hertha player.
That simply won't do if he is to come good in the Premier League, where there's even less time to select the correct option. Fortunately, it's a skill that can be worked on in training and swiftly sorted out.
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Source : 90min