Feature: Bundesliga's new strategy: Benchwarmers from the Premier League

By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The loan deal of Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea to Borussia Dortmund might be indicative of a new trend in the Bundesliga. As most domestic clubs can't afford to employ the first row of top international stars, many German sides seem to have developed an alternative business model. Instead of expensive stars, it seems like Premier League benchwarmers might start making their way to Germany.

While 2017 German champion and 2013 treble winner Bayern Munich, seems to be the only German side able to count on the necessary resources to compete on international markets, most of the other teams are forced to look for other options and consider lower-cost alternatives.

Former Bundesliga stars like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sead Kolasinac, Mesut Ozil and Kevin de Bruyne left the German league to join wealthy English clubs.

The Bundesliga's newest star Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen) is said to be on the radar of several Premier League sides. The 20-year-old Jamaican striker recently emphasized that joining a Premier League club would be his big dream.

The list of stars joining Bundesliga clubs, having underperformed in the Premier League, is also growing.

Recently, Ademola Lookman (from FC Everton to RB Leipzig), Havard Nordveidt (West Ham/TSG Hoffenheim), Bartosz Kapustka (Leicester City/SC Freiburg) and Yunng Zhang (West Bromwich Albion/ Werder Bremen) found their way from the UK to Germany.

Batshuayi scored two goals in his first game for Dortmund and delivered the assist leading to the winning goal in a 3-2 win over Cologne. At his English club, the Belgian international could hardly get any playing time, having to face the competition of Alvaro Morata, Eden Hazard, Pedro and Olivier Giroud. In 18 months with Chelsea, the 24-year-old only once played a full 90 minutes.

On-loan-winger Lookman, scored the winning goal in his first appearance for Leipzig against Moenchengladbach. Before, the English under-21 junior never played a full 90 minutes for Everton in the Premier League.

"I am happy about the opportunity to play in one of Europe's best leagues. We will see what happens in [the next] five months," Lookman commented after his first appearance for Leipzig.

The new strategy won't cause much international attraction, but is designed to help out for the moment and seems to address several issues for German clubs.

Several managing directors recently announced that they would be in favor of the option of focusing on the development of young German talent as opposed to contributing to the recent inflation in footballers' salaries: something they say has gotten out of control in international football.

The Bundesliga seems to have found an attractive niche. Top class bench-warmers can develop while still providing the quality that managers need.

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the Bundesliga needs to improve its attractiveness but not by any means necessary. The league's financial health would be more important than short-term success, but international markets should not be neglected.

At the same time, Rummenigge spoke about Bayern Munich's effort to beat international competitors when trying to sign 22-year-old German international Leon Goretzka. The midfielder from Schalke 04 was targeted by several top international clubs but decided to join the Bavarians next summer. Enditem