Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria is attracting a whole lot of interest heading into the summer transfer window, providing it still goes ahead as planned as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It certainly hasn’t stopped a lot of clubs scouring for his services.
The Swiss international is believed to cost in the region of around 40-50million pounds. The midfielder has alerted the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.
The 23-year-old is one of Europe’s most wanted young midfielders as he continues his steady development in the German Bundesliga. Zakaria had become a focal point in Borussia Mochengladbach’s progression before his injury, as they attempt to chase an unprecedented Champions League spot.
Despite not featuring since the restart, Zakaria will still be the subject of much interest in a relatively altered transfer window this summer.
Who is Denis Zakaria?
Born in Geneva, Switzerland. Denis Zakaria started out at Servette FC before making his move to top Swiss side BSC Young Boys in June 2015. He made his Swiss Super League debut a month later against FC Zurich in a 1-1 away draw coming on as a second-half substitute.
The midfielder spent two years at Young Boys before moving on to his current club Borussia Mochengladbach in the summer of 2017, signing a five year contract. Zakaria was initially signed as a replacement for Mahmoud Dahoud who departed for Borussia Dortmund. Almost three years on and the €10 million fee paid for the Swiss international’s services is looking a superb bargain.
Not only has Zakaria become a key figure at club level but also for his nation Switzerland, featuring in 28 caps, scoring three goals. What’s interesting about Zakaria’s early career is that he could have featured for Sudan and Congolese with his mother of Sudan descent and his father originating from Congo. However, he has only ever played for Switzerland, starting out for the Under-19s and the Under-21s before making his debut for the first team against Belgium in 2016.
How has Zakaria become a key figure for Gladbach? What’s his style?
Standing at 6ft 3in, Denis Zakaria is a man mountain. Not only in his tall frame, but he is powerfully built, a unit of a player which provides with the luxury to dominate his opponents and frighten them even before a ball is kicked.
Though, Zakaria is more than just size. He’s got a fantastic engine room too, capable of running around for all of 90 minutes non stop. He once covered a remarkable 7 kilometres in a league game against Cologne and further backed up the performance with an 88% pass success rate, a duel win rate of 80% whilst also accumulating 61 touches of the ball.
What’s also so unique about Zakaria is that he’s not your typical defensive midfielder, one who sticks in front of the defence and fulfils his swash-buckling duties. While he can perform the role with such astuteness, drive and aplomb, he’s more of your typical box-to-box midfielder. Zakaria is well capable of driving his team up the pitch with his sheer size, power, aggression and speed on the ball. This season in the Bundesliga, the Swiss International averages 2 dribbles per 90 minutes.
Denis Zakaria can do it all. He’s also drawn comparisons to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira and Manchester United’s Paul Pogba. It almost as if the midfielder combines the best elements of both of their characteristics in his own game.
The 23-year-old is incredibly versatile and can play in different roles across the midfield. As a box-to-box and a destructive defensive midfielder. He can also play at centre-back too when deployed in a back-three, he’s got the strength, size, ball-playing abilities and reading of the game to thrive. What stands him out amongst his team-mates is the ability to receive the ball in tight areas or under pressure and come out of the pressure completely unstuck. Per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga this season, Zakaria averages nearly 7 passes whilst under pressure. He attracts pressure but he’s got the balance, power and prowess to overcome it.
His dribbling for such a tall player is all the more spectacular. Zakaria’s dribbling success rate per 90 minutes reads at 2.18 out of 2.92 attempts with a 78% completion rate. The Swiss international may be brilliant under pressure but he’s also consummate applying pressure himself. Per 90 minutes, he’s applied pressure to an opponent who’s received a pass 17 times (17.3).
A typical midfielder must also have the capabilities to pass a ball adequately and become influential in the teams buildup play. Denis Zakaria is hugely influential for Gladbach. His passing completion percentage reads at 86.7% which means he’s got a brilliant passing range and he’s also not afraid to attempt a pass that looks impossible for most players.
Most importantly, his knack of constantly breaking up play, and his destructive nature makes him the complete midfielder, truly capable of performing every role or action required of him. Denis Zakaria has completed 86 tackles so far this season, 11 blocks, won a total of 24 aerial duels and has intercepted an opponents pass 111 times.
Simply Dominant.
Add to all those impressive stats, he’s also registered two goals and two assists. Denis Zakaria has got the lot.
Is Zakaria ready for a shot at the Premier League?
Stats show that Denis Zakaria is tailor made for the Premier League. Not only that but his sheer size, power and aggression. It’s no wonder why numerous clubs in the English top-flight are all interested in securing his signature.
The midfielder is certainly ready for the top-level. However, if Gladbach secure Champions League football for next season then you certainly can’t back against Zakaria spending another year in Germany.
Zakaria deserves such a level and wherever he heads to next must offer him the chance to play at Europe’s top competition. It’s a stage where midfielders like him have excelled in the past. Denis Zakaria is certainly capable of placing himself on that illustrious list of players to have graced the Champions League stage.
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