Official: Alexander Merkel Thread

[abbeyleemania]

Sky Sports Scout - Alexander Merkel

We run the rule over German starlet Alexander Merkel

Sky Sports Scout is our exciting feature where we scour the globe looking out for the best talent and bring you a report on what we find.

Our Scout will report back and you can comment on what you think of our appraisal.

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You can only nominate a player by emailing here, including the word 'Scout' in your subject line and please check to make sure we haven't already covered the player, you can see over 100 previous reports to the right of the page.

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Latest under our scout's gaze is AC Milan'sAlexander Merkel - recommended by Sky Sports reader Ferdinand Dreher.
The scout reports...

This week the Sky Sports Scout turns his attention the San Siro and one of AC Milan's gems for the future in the shape of German Alexander Merkel.

Despite being just 18-years-old Merkel is already making a big impact on Massimiliano Allegri's first-team squad.

Merkel is very much a product of Milan's own youth system, having joined them in 2008 after turning 16.

He was spotted playing for Stuttgart's junior side by Milan scouts and was soon persuaded to make the move to Italy.

But after just two years in their youth set-up he has made huge strides into the first-team picture.

Merkel was part of the Milan Under-20 squad which won Italy's prestigious youth tournament the Coppa Italia Primavera last year - the first time in 25 years the Rossoneri have collected the prize.

He was called into the first-team squad last season, but was not involved - however, this season he was used during the club's pre-season including the Emirates Cup hosted by Arsenal.

But Merkel, unlike some of his team-mates, has grasped his first-team chance with both hands and is now rubbing shoulder to shoulder with some of Serie A's finest talents.

Merkel has drawn comparisons to the likes of Marek Hamsik and Alexander Hleb, but I feel he bears a striking resemblance - in both looks and his play, to Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Solid in build, Merkel is a hugely gifted midfield talent. His first touch is sublime and his passing is what has singled him out as being ready for first-team action.

He also has an eye for goal, but his work-rate cannot be faulted either - whilst he is adept with both feet.

Indeed Merkel possesses a number of qualities which many older players would be grateful for, and again he is a product of German's wonderful international set-up which is producing some of the finest young talent in the world.

Born in Kazakhstan to Belarus parents, Merkel had a number of international options, but he has been capped by Germany at various age groups as his talent shone through from a very early stage.

The scout says...

Merkel has already made one big move to Milan and hopes are very high he could be a mainstay of their midfield for years to come.

If he progresses how his club and country feel, he will not be leaving the San Siro any time soon.

The Scout rating...

Shooting: 7 out of 10

Passing: 8 out of 10

Tackling: 7 out of 10

Heading: 7 out of 10

Pace: 7 out of 10

Vision: 8 out of 10

Current ability: 7 out of 10

Potential ability: 10 out of 10

OVERALL SCOUT RATING: 61/80

Current value: £10million

Potential value: £50million

NAME: Alexander Merkel
AGE: 18 (22nd February, 1992)
BORN: Pervomayskiy, Kazakhstan
POSITION: Midfielder
CLUB: AC Milan
FACTS: Moved to Germany aged 6

Sky Sports Scout Ratings:
0-10 - No hoper
11-20 - Should look elsewhere
21-30 - Might not make it
31-40 - Has work to do
41-50 - Keep an eye on him
51-60 - Great prospect
61-70 - On his way to the top
71-80 - Already World-class

interesting scouting report from Sky sports.http://www.skysports.com/looktothefuture...81,00.html

Germany, Bierhoff: "We are following with attention Merkel"

Oliver Bierhoff, manager of the German team, as reported by the "Bild" is watching Alexander Merkel and her good performance: "We follow his development with great interest and we are very happy about this."

[xudong]

so he will turn 19 tomorrow?

[abbeyleemania]

Alexander Merkel is world class talent in my opinion, However, he has all tools to became a world class midfielder, he runs a lot, his energy, good passes, his agressive pressing is very good. What makes him special? i think his movement to the box and his dynamism makes him special in my opinion, he is skilled, good on dribbling skills(just look at his dribling style)(its an area Merkel should improve, and furthermore he will show his dribblings more with experience, as he was nervous with the ball at first. Then he showed nice dribblings) He is doing everything, hope he step up, play better game after game. He is defensively good, but he has to be better 1 on 1 on defensive phrase, solid on the ground, he has to work on shouting...

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so he will turn 19 tomorrow?

Yes; He will be 19 years old tomorrow.

Btw his idol is Alexander Hleb.

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Milan, this is your Hamsik


Premise, the comparison could even be considered blasphemous, but the similarities are there. Alexander Merkel, AC Milan midfielder aggregate in the first team since the beginning of the new season by Massimiliano Allegri is very quickly becoming one of the most interesting players in the summer retreat. That Milan will be very few new features and new faces in camp, but former player John Stroppa Spring is a pleasant surprise for coach Tuscany. Nineteen years to be made next February, Merkel has already impressed the Rossoneri fans while still presenting all the limitations related to age and the new team (similar). Born in Kazakhstan to Russian parents emigrated to Germany at age 6 and grew up in footballing JSG Westerwald before moving to VfB Stuttgart to Milan where he has taken. Great friends Pato, Alexander Merkel resembles in certain movements of the player Slovak Marek Hamsik Napoli, born in Brescia footballing. The type of race and especially the position Allegri want to crop in some ways resembles the blue. The ability to fit, try to dictate the last step and press the ball carrier on the trocar field, are all characteristics that remind Hamsik. Obviously talking about the first Hamsik, the player that did fall in love in Brescia Pierpaolo Marino, who tore the competition to take him to Naples. Perhaps it is the goal to improve the appearance, age Hamsik Merkel was much more prolific sills, and last season he reached double figures with the Neapolitan, a value added for the team. Allegri has decided to focus firmly, in fact, Merkel has always been used in four out of the Milan season. Particularly brilliant doubles draw with Arsenal and Lyon nell'Emirates Cup, Merkel has kidnapped the new Rossoneri coach who has already promised to want with you throughout the season, leading the first team right now. And at least for the summer friendlies Merkel will play its cards on the field to demonstrate to Allegri able to adapt to the role of attacking midfielder who wants to inculcate the Tuscan. Freshness athletic, dynamic and tactical intelligence are the qualities that interest Merkel to Allegri. Besides a generational change to AC Milan would be almost mandatory, and integrate young people with old people is the ideal solution for the new Milan. The fear is seeing the blond midfielder disappear from the scene as the days passed. It would be a shame to give up work on it, setting aside just a tactical plan which instead has impressed the experts. And if the new Hamisk should bloom in Milan you can definitely say that the intuition of Allegri was brilliant.

[tim_milan]

Happy Birthday Merkel in advance. Wish him great success and hope he stays with Milan forever. He s been promising this season and has proved very handy for us in the midfield. Wish this talent does not get wasted.

[abbeyleemania]

Goal.com Scouting Report: Alexander Merkel - AC Milan
Goal.com gives you the lowdown on one of the Primavera's brightest talents...

Name: Alexander Merkel
Club: AC Milan
Country: Germany under-age honours; born in Kazakhstan to Belarusian parents
Age: 18
Position: Midfield

It does not take a genius to figure out that money for transfers is scarce around Milanello this summer. The new coach, Massimiliano Allegri, has added only Mario Yepes, Sokratis Papastathopolous and some emerging talent from Atalanta, Crotone and Inter on a permanent basis as one of the continent's most pre-eminent teams are forced to pinch the pennies.

Indeed, there has been word from the Rossoneri camp that this will be the season in which youth products from the Primavera are expected to reinvigorate an ageing squad. The likes of Rodney Strasser, Simone Verdi and Nnamadi Oduamadi have seen some pre-season action and impressed but there is one teenager who looks most equipped to be promoted from within this term.

Alexander Merkel has caught the eye in his matches against Lyon, Arsenal and Panathinaikos in the past few days. Merkel, a namesake of but no relation to the German chancellor Angela, is a central midfielder with energy and tenacity and has earned comparisons with the Napoli general, Marek Hamsik.

During AC Milan's pre-season workouts, Merkel has shown a commendable willingness to dictate the tempo of his side's play even in the presence of such esteemed colleagues like Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso.

The teenager has not yet filled out physically but showed indefatigable spirit and courage in his defensive work. Going forward, he was first-rate, too, and will have given his coach encouragement. His usage of the ball can come off either foot and he is not afraid to take a shot on. His approach play and final ball, perhaps, need some refinement but his ball carrying capabilities bear the traits of a responsible leader, even at this stage of his career.

Born in Kazakhstan to Belarusian parents, Merkel has come through the German youth system having moved there aged six. He has represented his adopted country at various stages from under-15 up but has reportedly turned down the opportunity to play for their under-21 side. It is believed that he has set his sights on an international future alongside his hero, Aleksandr Hleb, with Belarus.

He watched Hleb as a child at Stuttgart, the club he joined in his early teens. The Swabians had to fend off the interests of Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV and 1899 Hoffenheim to hold onto their starlet but were powerless to prevent him from heeding the calls of Milan. With his shock of blond hair and boundless energy, he could become a prominent fixture in the Diavoli line-up in years to come.

[abbeyleemania]

BILD: Alexander Congratulations! , your first goal with the first team, how was this goal?

Merkel: "Thank you! It was a wonderful feeling you, I was very focused on this goal at the San Siero, it is a very wonderful experience!"

BILD: You are 18 years old and play at one of the biggest clubs in the world, this must be a dream for you ..

Merkel: (smiles) "It's not a dream but a reality, it is certainly a dream come true" ..

BILD: Alegre gives you a lot of confidence ..

Merkel: "I'm happy that he gave me his confidence for the game in Cagliari, where he said to the other players:" Let him do what he wants, he knows how to play "

BILD: You are now an integral part of the first team ..

Merkel: "Since November I have being always training with the first team and if I continue to perform well I will always be here,"

BILD: How do you feel when you are among those top players?

Merkel: "In the past, I only expected to aquiretheir signings and it would be enough for me, now I'm with them on the pitch It's a dream, they are role models for me and I admire them very much,"

BILD: Who is closest to you on the team?

Merkel: "Certainly Kevin-Prince Boateng , whom i play the PlayStation with"

BILD: Do you still have relatives in Stuttgart?

Merkel: "Yes, my family is still there and i always go to visit"

[Mathias]

Please add sources (links) so that milanmania.com does not get into a strife with publicists.

Thanks for the articles. I believe Merkel has great potential possible even becoming a new octopus on the midfield (it's what I hope)

[Nalx]

The kid turns 19 today. Happy birthday Alexander. Take your time and learn from those champions around you, and become one with us someday.

[Gio-mania]

" Let him do what he wants, he knows how to play " - gotta love Allegri.

I see so much potential in this kid. His work rate is impressive and on top of that he has good technique and tactical awareness. He hasn't played that well recently, but you can see he is an intelligent player. He will be a sure starter for us in the next years.

[ACMILAN1983]

happy birthday to Merkel.