On Saturday, Borussia Mönchengladbach announced that Ba-Muaka Simakala had signed a professional contract with the club.

The 19-year-old has been with the club for five years now, and this extension - through to 2019 - will take that to nine.

The forward joins Tsiy William Ndenge and Djibril Sow as the other youngsters to be promoted to the first-team with the Borussia-Park outfit this summer.

Plenty of potential

Starting off with Alemannia Aachen, Simakala was quickly snapped up by the Foals in 2011 and has been in their youth ranks ever since.

Normally playing off the striker or out wide, the attacker has found form playing in a similar role to that of Raffael in the first-team.

He has found the net 25 times in 46 games for Gladbach's under-19 side in the A-Junioren Bundesliga West, adding nine assists.

Simakala also managed to score twice in their UEFA Youth League group stage games, and has one cap for the Germany under-19 squad.

Will Ba-Muaka Simakala be the latest Gladbach youth product to make it big in the Bundesliga? | Image credit: DFB.de
Will Ba-Muaka Simakala be the latest Gladbach youth product to make it big in the Bundesliga? | Image credit: DFB.de

Eberl and Simakala have their say

“We’re delighted that Ba-Muaka, another hugely talented youngster, has committed to us," commented sporting director, Max Eberl.

Speaking to the club website, he added: "He’s developed well in recent years. He now needs to work hard in order to make the step up."

The 19-year-old gave his thoughts on the move, as well: “I’m happy to have signed a professional contract with Borussia. It motivates me to push on."

With a packed pre-season schedule ahead, Simakala - as well as Ndenge and Sow - are likely to see game time at some point.

Inter Milan and Lazio are among the teams André Schubert's charges are preparing against, and all three will be desperate to get involved.

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About the author
Jonathan Walsh
SoccerSight IFA commentator. VAVEL deputy editor-in-chief/VAVEL Bundesliga editor-in-chief and writer. Email: [email protected]