The Bundesliga’s most wanted – Which stars could depart the German top-flight this month?

Five-man shortlist 

The Bundesliga is one of the most sought-after leagues in Europe when it comes to players being sold to the biggest and richest clubs across the continent. While Bayern Munich rarely struggle to keep a hold of their best players, the same can’t be said for Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen or RB Leipzig when the Premier League chequebooks open and dizzying numbers begin to get quoted. So which current stars of the German top-flight look set to make a move either this month or in the summer? Using the Transfermarkt “Most Wanted” page, we’ve gone through the top five candidates below.

Yan Diomande – RB Leipzig – 12 rumours

Few new signings across European football have hit the ground running as well as RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande. The German club raised some eyebrows when they signed the young winger from Spanish second division side CD Leganés for €20 million, but that fee now looks like a complete bargain. With seven goals and six assists in his first 19 games for RB Leipzig, Diomande has already been linked to an incredible 12 clubs since the start of the season, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Bundesliga rivals Bayern.

Said El Mala – FC Köln – 10 rumours

Another Bundesliga winger that is making waves this season is Said El Mala. The FC Köln talent truly thrived in the German third tier last season and upon his club’s promotion to the top-flight in the summer, El Mala was fast-tracked into the first team and certainly hasn’t looked back. In 19 league games for the recently-promoted club, the 19-year-old talent has already scored seven goals and provided a further three assists. Such form has led to calls for him to be called up to the German national team, alongside no less than 10 transfer rumours linking him with moves to Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and Dortmund.

Leon Goretzka – Bayern Munich – 11 rumours

One player that certainly hasn’t been showered in praise this season is Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka. Once considered one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world, the Champions League winner is now beginning to slow down in the middle of the park and has struggled for game time in Vincent Kompany’s side. Although still used as a useful option in the Bundesliga, where Goretzka has started 74% of Bayern’s games, he has yet to start a single Champions League match for the German giants. As such, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, a move to Barcelona, AC Milan or Galatasaray has been constantly touted by the German press.

Fisnik Asllani – Hoffenheim – 8 rumours

Few clubs have impressed in the Bundesliga as much as high-flying Hoffenheim this season and spearheading the club’s rise up to third in the table has been young striker Fisnik Asllani. Having come through the club’s youth academy, the Berlin-born talent was called up to the first team this season after an incredible run of 18 goals and nine assists in the German second division last season. Asllani has continued that form in the German top-flight, with six goals and four assists in 18 Bundesliga games, leading to no less than eight clubs being linked with his signature, including Tottenham, Aston Villa and Chelsea.

Diogo Leite – Union Berlin – 7 rumours

Aside from in-form wingers and goalscoring forwards, the defender with the most transfer rumours surrounding them is none other than Union Berlin star Diogo Leite. The Portuguese talent has been a stalwart for the capital club since joining from Porto in 2023, and with his contract set to come to an end at the end of the season a number of clubs around Europe have taken note of picking up a top defender for very little money. So far Leite has been linked with moves to Barcelona, Fiorentina and Lazio but should he decide to leave Union in the summer the list of clubs will undoubtedly grow even larger.