Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore says the success of Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham in the Bundesliga influenced his decision to join FC Koln. The 19-year-old became the latest English talent to move to the German top flight after completing a season-long loan move to the RheinEnergieStadion last month. Moore's move came almost a decade after a 17-year-old Sancho left Manchester City to join Borussia Dortmund.
During his time in Germany, Sancho established himself as one of Europe's most exciting wingers, making more than 150 appearances for Dortmund and helping the club win the DFB-Pokal in 2021. He subsequently secured a £73m move to Manchester United. Bellingham followed a similar path in 2020, leaving boyhood club Birmingham City to join Dortmund.
The midfielder quickly developed into one of the most sought-after players in world football before joining Real Madrid for an initial £88.5m in 2023. Speaking on Thursday's Euro Leagues podcast - which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live at - before Friday's Bundesliga match with Eintracht Frankfurt, Moore revealed that the success of his fellow Englishmen had inspired him to turn down offers from England in favour of a move to Germany. "I think over the years you've seen so many young players come out here, and there are some really good examples of world-class players like Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho doing really well," Moore said.
"It's a really attractive place to play football, especially for a young attacker. It's a great platform to play, and that was sold to me by the people at the club and the manager. "They've put real trust in me, and the amount of game time I've played so quickly in my Koln career has been nice.
It's been good to have that trust from all the staff and people at the club. "I'm already happy with my decision. Now I can really kick on, make my own story and build my own path in German football." Although Moore only turned 19 in August, he is no stranger to stepping outside his comfort zone.
Last season, he made 47 appearances in all competitions, including the Champions League qualifying rounds, during a loan spell at Scottish Premiership side Rangers. It was the first time Moore had left his boyhood club Tottenham, and he rose to the challenge, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 28 Scottish Premiership appearances. The experience offered a different test to the one he now faces in Germany, but it provided valuable exposure to the demands of first-team football.
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