Arkadiusz Pyrka

Key strength: Pace and recovery

Overlapping full-back

In the rough waters of the 2. Bundesliga, FC St. Pauli find themselves anchored precariously at 17th place, fighting for survival with their form line reading five consecutive defeats. Amid this storm stands Arkadiusz Pyrka, the 23-year-old Polish right-back whose €3 million valuation represents a rare beacon of hope in Millerntor's troubled campaign. Despite featuring in just two appearances this season, totaling 180 minutes with one yellow card to his name, Pyrka's profile as an overlapping full-back with blistering pace and recovery ability offers St. Pauli something different from the defensive stalwarts around him. His 55-rated defending and physicality outpace his creative stats, suggesting a no-nonsense approach befitting a relegation battle. With attacking talents like Danel Sinani and Andréas Hountondji ahead of him, Pyrka's ability to stretch the flank and provide width could yet prove crucial as St. Pauli desperately seek to arrest their alarming slide. In a season defined by struggle, the young Pole represents both present necessity and future potential.