Brighton and Hove Albion forward Deniz Undav has revealed what Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann told him when the pair spoke about him potentially playing for Germany.
The striker has been speaking to YouTube channel Diyar Inside, relayed by NOZ, about the phone call from Nagelsmann and what they discussed.
Undav is currently shining out on loan at VfB Stuttgart, having joined them in the summer after something of a miserable year at Brighton.
It’s proven to be a smart move for everyone involved so far, with the striker managing nine goals and three assists in 13 games in the Bundesliga so far despite featuring in just 54% of the available minutes.
Those are impressive numbers, to say the least, particularly for a striker who managed eight goals and one assist in 30 games in all competitions last season.
It’s put him on the radar of the German national team, who are currently lacking an out and out goal scorer and looking around to find someone to fill that role in Nagelsmann’s squad.
That led to him taking a look at the Brighton man and calling him to discuss a call-up, something that left Undav shaking with anticipation.
“I got the message from my coach that the national coach wants my number. The first thing I asked him was whether he was serious,” he said.
“I was shaking so much. ‘How should I talk?’ I was nervous. I had goosebumps. When he called me, the conversation was actually relatively relaxed, I have to say.
“He just told me to keep going. That he likes the way I’m playing right now. That I have a light-heartedness. And that I should step on the gas.
“I was really happy. I could not believe it. I was so happy that day. This cannot be described in words. The fact that I got the call shows me that I did something right. That it was worth continuing.”
