GGFN Awards | Best German Abroad – Anton Stach  | OneFootball

The award for the best German playing abroad this season could have gone to one of several players in truth, with the likes of Kevin Schade propelling Brentford towards European qualification for the first time, Pascal Groβ returning to his best back at Brighton, and Malick Thiaw enjoying a solid first season at Newcastle. However, with Leeds United promoted back to the Premier League at the second time of asking, Daniel Farke made plenty of new signings in preparation for their return to England’s topflight – but none had a bigger impact than Anton Stach.

The midfielder signed for the West Yorkshire club from Hoffenheim for a reported £17m and immediately began to repay the faith shown in him, scoring on his debut in a 1-1 draw against Milan before the Premier League kicked off. His competitive debut was no less impressive either, putting on a Man of the Match display in the opening day victory over Everton. After that, Stach put in solid performance after solid performance, and was one of the key reasons Leeds managed to survive so comfortably.

Stach’s blend of composure, physicality and tactical intelligence gave Leeds a platform in almost every match, with the midfielder regularly dictating tempo against some of the league’s strongest midfields. Beyond his defensive work, he chipped in with crucial goals and assists throughout, further underlining his importance to Farke’s system.

At 27, Stach has shown he can thrive outside the Bundesliga, and despite his outstanding debut season in England, his omission from Germany’s World Cup squad will undoubtedly sting. Yet if he maintains this level in the Premier League, it surely will not be long before he earns the international recognition his performances deserve.

GFFN Bundesliga Team of the Season

Gregor Kobel – Julian Ryerson, Luka Vušković, Nico Schlotterbeck, David Raum – Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlović – Michael Olise, Christoph Baumgartner, Luis Díaz – Harry Kane

GGFN | Harry Good