The Bundesliga is close to returning after the coronavirus pandemic caused sporting events around the world to be suspended.
There are plenty of exciting talents throughout the Bundesliga as it has become a popular destination for British players who are searching for the game time. From the silky skills of Jadon Sancho to the defensive nous of Ethan Ampadu – there are plenty of British stars ready to light up our TV screens this weekend.
Here, Sportsmail looks at the British players playing abroad in the Bundesliga as they prepare to return to action…
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Jadon Sancho has set Bundesliga alight this season with some incredible performances for Borussia Dortmund.
The pacey winger has made himself a contender for player of the season with 14 goals and a whopping 16 assists from 23 league matches. His rise to stardom has not gone unnoticed, either, as he has become a key figure in the England national team at just 20 years old.
Sancho operates mainly on the left or right wing for Dortmund – who are just four points behind rivals Bayern Munich in top spot.
Jadon Sancho has had an electric season with Borussia Dortmund with 14 goals and 16 assists
Sancho’s future at the club has become a big talking point, with Premier League giants hoping to entice the speedster back to the UK this summer in a big money move.
The Englishman originally moved to the Bundesliga in the summer of 2017 from Manchester City, who are now one of the club’s fighting to get him back.
Sancho is now valued at over £100million with Manchester United leading the race for his signature – but with the coronavirus crisis affecting the transfer market, Sancho could remain at Dortmund a little longer.
Ethan Ampadu (RB Leipzig, on loan from Chelsea)
Ethan Ampadu is another exciting British talent learning his trade over in Germany. The Welsh defensive midfielder is on loan from Chelsea this season but has not had quite the experience he would have probably expected with RB Leipzig.
Whilst the club have been flying on the pitch with an incredible Champions League run to the quarter-finals and are scrapping away in the league title race, Ampadu has watched most of it from the bench.
Ampadu has endured a frustrating time with RB Leipzig spending much of it on the bench
A key asset that the 19-year-old has is his versatility and in the seven matches he has appeared in this season – with three of them in the Bundesliga – he has played as a central defender.
Whilst the Chelsea loanee is an incredibly exciting talent for the future, he seems to be getting more game time for his national side Wales than his club.
With the intense nature of the league’s return, utility players such as Ampadu could get more of a look-in and he could feature more as the league concludes. He will have a point to prove every time he steps on the pitch now and will still have a bright future once he returns to Chelsea.
Rabbi Matondo (Schalke)
At 19 years old, Rabbi Matondo has enjoyed his breakthrough season with Schalke. He has quickly become a fan favourite with the Schalke fans for his lightning quick pace in attack.
Whilst small in stature, Matondo is a very tricky customer with quick feet and an incredible burst of acceleration to get out of a tight spot.
The winger has also earned his international colours since Ryan Giggs took over as Wales manager, further boosting the profile and confidence of the attacker – who scored his first senior goal against RB Leipzig this term.
Rabbi Matondo has enjoyed his breakthrough season at Schalke at just 19 years old
Matondo is a product of the Cardiff City academy but was quickly snapped up by Manchester City in 2016. However, much like the mistake they made with Sancho, Man City let him leave for Germany for £8million.
The Welshman has been used sporadically by Schalke this season, with a total of 12 league appearances – some from the bench and some starting.
Just like Ampadu, he could be another young, spritely star who could benefit in game time from the packed schedule of football as he continues to learn his craft as a pacey, dangerous winger.
Ademola Lookman (RB Leipzig)
Former Everton attacker Ademola Lookman is in his first full season in the Bundesliga as a RB Leipzig player after being loaned out to the club two seasons before.
Lookman has showed plenty of promise in previous campaigns but his return to Leipzig has been a let-down for both the club and the player. He has totalled just 167 minutes in the Bundesliga this season and has failed to break into the team, with other talents outshining the young Englishman.
Whilst Leipzig are in contention for both Champions League and Bundesliga glory, Lookman – much like Ampadu – has watched on from the sidelines and failed to impress in his short cameos.
Ademola Lookman has had an underwhelming first season with RB Leipzig on the rise
Emil Forsberg and Marcel Sabitzer have kept Lookman out of the action this season and at 22 years old, he won’t want to rot away in the shadows.
The return of the league provides a golden opportunity for Lookman to prove a point to manager Julian Nagelsmann and maybe catch the eye of a potential suitor for a future move.
Reece Oxford (FC Ausburg)
Reece Oxford is now with FC Ausgburg after a rather turbulent career to date at just 21 years old.
Despite being in a squad battling against relegation, Oxford – much like his time with Borussia Monchengladbach and West Ham United – has not been a mainstay in the starting line-up. In fact, he hasn’t even featured in a match since early November after an early run of matches at the start of the season.
A few years ago, Oxford was one of the most exciting talents England had on offer as he quickly made a name for himself at West Ham, but he failed to back that up with consistent performances; a trait he has fallen short with yet again.
Reece Oxford hasn’t featured for Ausburg since early November in another disappointing year
The 21-year-old can play both defensive midfield and central defence with his tall stature and comfort on the ball. However, he has impressed in neither of these positions for Ausburg as it seems another club bites the dust for him.
If he does manage to get some game time in the Bundesliga’s return, he will want to make vast improvements to his game in a bid to earn his place back in the starting side.
Jonjoe Kenny (Schalke, on loan from Everton)
Jonjoe Kenny is on loan with Schalke from Everton for the season and has made a great impression during his time in the Bundesliga.
The right-back has lost his place in the Everton side after the signing of Djibril Sidibé and so he ventured out to Germany in the hope of getting some game time. The 23-year-old has not disappointed for the German side – who are hoping to clinch a European place this season and he had made 23 appearances from a possible 25 matches.
Jonjoe Kenny has become a valuable member of the Schalke team in their Europa League bid
Kenny also found the net this season against Hertha Berlin back in August and has amassed three assists as a valuable member of the Schalke set-up.
He is likely to play a big part for the Germans as they fend off Wolfsburg, Freiburg and Hoffenheim for a Europa League qualification spot before he heads back to Everton at the end of his loan.
It is unsure what the future holds for Kenny, but if Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is not interested in keeping him then a move back to Schalke on a permanent basis could be a possibility.