Wanted by Manchester United and Arsenal, why Dayot Upamecano is the real Bundesliga star to watch

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I wanted Dayot to have a stable emotional balance off the pitch.” The 16-year-old plumped for the development-focused structure at Red Bull Salzburg instead in a deal worth £2million, explaining: “When you go to a really big club as a young player, it can be that case that you end of spending a lot of time on the substitutes’ bench. Romaric Bultel, the coach of Upamecano’s local club Evreux FC revealed of his formative football years: “He wasn’t a natural talent; the abilities he has now weren’t there when he came to us. “I’ve not seen a faster centre-back and Dayot has an unbelievable physique,” said teammate Timo Werner of a defender that thrives with the thankless task of thwarting Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski. “He is a top player, fast, clever good in a duel; it’s just very hard to get past him.” Upamecano, who wins 70% of his aerial battles in the league and has a 90% pass completion rate, is considered the finest defender of his age group in world football.