Oscar Højlund

Key strength: Work rate

Box-to-box midfielder

At just 21 years old, Danish midfielder Oscar Højlund is cutting his teeth in one of Europe's most demanding leagues, plying his trade for an Eintracht Frankfurt side currently sitting 7th in the table. The €7.5m-rated youngster has featured in 5 matches this campaign, logging 450 minutes as he gradually establishes himself in the first-team picture. Deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, Højlund's defining attribute is his relentless work rate—covering every blade of grass and doing the unglamorous work that allows more celebrated teammates like Ritsu Doan and Jonathan Burkardt to flourish further up the pitch. While his statistical return remains modest with neither goals nor assists to his name, his inclusion in the matchday squad speaks to the trust placed in him by the coaching staff. Frankfurt's recent form—winless in their last four with three defeats—has been testing, but such adversity often accelerates a young player's development. Surrounded by quality including Burkardt and Doan, Højlund is learning his craft at a club renowned for nurturing talent. The road ahead is long, but the foundations are being laid for what Frankfurt hope will become a pivotal figure in their midfield engine room.