Yannik Engelhardt

Key strength: Adaptability

Versatile player

While Borussia Mönchengladbach drift through a season of discontent—languishing in 12th place with just one win from their last five matches under Gerardo Seoane—Yannik Engelhardt has quietly become Die Fohlen's unlikely anchor. The 25-year-old German defensive midfielder has been virtually ever-present, racking up 2,253 minutes across 28 Bundesliga appearances in his number 16 shirt. Though primarily tasked with shielding the backline, Engelhardt has still contributed 2 goals and 2 assists—proof of his understated influence from deep positions. His 60-rated passing and cerebral ball retention make him the metronome of Gladbach's disjointed orchestra, knitting possession together when teammates lose composure. Those five yellow cards tell their own story: Engelhardt walks the tightrope between enforcer and architect. Valued at €7 million, the former Fortuna Düsseldorf talent isn't grabbing headlines, but through sheer availability and tactical intelligence as a deep-lying playmaker, he remains the heartbeat of a club desperately seeking consistency.