Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt could be the ‘surprise man’ in Hansi Flick’s Germany squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
That’s according to Goal’s German edition, who cover the player today and his chances of being included in Flick’s 26-man squad.
They say that the player’s regular performances for Brentford in the Premier League are starting to make waves in Germany, where he remains ‘an unknown quantity’.
That could make him the ‘surprise man’ in the squad as there are big questions over who Flick will call up in central midfield.
While big names such as Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Ilkay Gundogan are a given none of those fill the defensive position and so Janelt could be an option.
He ‘still flies completely under the radar’ for the masses but has been impressing for Brentford this season and currently leads the likes of Fabinho, Rodri and Thomas Partey when it comes to duels in the defensive third.
That’s something which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Flick, who has already scouted the Brentford man on two separate occasions in recent months.
Thus, his chances of a nomination ‘are not bad’, particularly as the Germany boss is likely to call up two more central midfielders and one of them will be a defensive player.
That’s certainly Goal’s view, who believe a place in Qatar would be a ‘bonus’ that the midfielder would have ‘thoroughly earned’.
