Germany is once again wrapped up in a dilemma trying to attract a promising young dual-national. Nicolò Tresoldi is eligible to play for either Italy or Germany, but has been patient in making his decision. It is key to note that Tresoldi has made a staggering 27 appearances for the German U-21s, so it is clear that he has built up a relationship with the DFB. Nonetheless, the heart wants what the heart wants.
Should Tresoldi decline Klopp’s call or not, it would be fun to predict the kind of impact that the Club Brugge striker could make if he were to join the senior squad. While it is virtually impossible to project one’s career with a high degree of accuracy, it seems like a fun enough exercise to give it a try. Let’s compare Tresoldi to past U-21 German strikers and see what their eventual careers turned out to be.
Potential Comparisons
Tresoldi has accumulated 16 goals in 27 U-21 appearances, which is a scoring rate comparable to that of the following strikers during their time with the U-21s. Let’s look at two cases of German strikers in recent years with comparable metrics for the U-21s.
The first of which is Nick Woltemade, though it feels a bit early to fully assess his career. While he was incredible for VfB Stuttgart, he hasn’t hit the high expectations set for him after his memorable U-21 Euros. Woltemade accumulated 13 goals in 18 appearances for the U-21s, and his talent outshone virtually every player on the pitch when he played. While he has seen some success with the senior team, he hasn’t been the difference-maker he was once thought to be.
Secondly, there is Kevin Volland, who is a fair player to assess after many years as a professional. Volland scored 11 goals in 22 appearances for the German U-21s, which is a lower scoring rate than Tresoldi’s. Volland would go on to become a fringe call-up for the senior team but never became a mainstay in the German senior squad. Volland has scored once in his 15 appearances for the seniors. It is fair to say that if Tresoldi hit a similar level, it would be massively disappointing.
Lastly, let’s compare Tresoldi to Jonathan Burkardt. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker scored 10 goals in 20 appearances with the U-21s and has gone on to become a fringe call-up for Germany. While he hasn’t been successful at the international level, Burkardt has been one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga for years now and is consistently reliant on scoring around 15 goals a season. Not shabby, but he has not made a major impact at the senior level.
Projecting Tresoldi’s Career
While the three most similar comparisons to Tresoldi have probably not lived up to the expectations set for a top U-21 striker, there is one large factor to consider here: club performance. Tresoldi has scored a whopping 8 goals in 16 Champions League appearances and is currently the top UCL goalscorer with 4 goals after two appearances, not to mention a hat-trick against Inter Milan.
Domestically, Tresoldi scored 19 goals with 5 assists in 40 league matches last year for Club Brugge and could realistically surpass that total this season with 30+ goal contributions.
Tresoldi seems to be red-hot at the moment and poised for a massive breakout. Both Germany and Italy are eagerly awaiting his decision, and both sides could use Tresoldi for an immediate impact rather than as one to watch for the future. While a jump up from the Belgian league to La Liga, the Bundesliga, or the Premier League could be a harsh transition for the Club Brugge striker, it is one that will likely happen very soon.
Bayern Munich is reportedly joining several top clubs in keeping tabs on the Club Brugge striker, as per ESPN. It is reported that Roma have previously seen an offer worth 30 million euros plus 5 million in bonuses rejected, with Brugge wanting 60 million euros for the 22-year-old striker.
It is clearly not just the German national team that is looking to land the talented striker, as the world’s best are lining up to make a bid on the versatile attacker. It is highly likely that in less than a year’s time, Tresoldi will be suiting up for a giant club as their number nine and playing for either Germany or Italy’s senior side.
Final Verdict
If Tresoldi were to accept Klopp’s call-up, he would likely be an immediate impact player fighting with Kai Havertz, Deniz Undav, and Nick Woltemade for minutes. Luckily for Tresoldi, he is the youngest of the bunch, and with a massive ceiling, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Klopp give Tresoldi the starting role in a year’s time if he can continue this performance with the seniors.
The final verdict is that Tresoldi would go on to become Germany’s future striker alongside Woltemade and Havertz as a larger, taller option to break down defenses later in the match. It is key to note that Woltemade and Havertz have both showcased strong interplay with other attackers such as Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala in the past, and Tresoldi will have to prove his chemistry with Germany’s attack if he wants to succeed.
For now, let’s say Tresoldi does go on to become Germany’s striker: while he may not become the ‘chosen one’ per se, Tresoldi becomes the reliable option needed for Klopp at striker and contributes to a Euro 2028 title for the Germans under Jürgen Klopp. While it is difficult to foresee Tresoldi reaching the level of a Golden Boot candidate among the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, Germany might have found a diamond in the rough.
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