First there was Jadon Sancho, then there was Jude Bellingham. Is Jamie Gittens about to become Borussia Dortmund‘s next English star?
The 20-year-old England youth international suddenly finds himself in the form of his life.
On Wednesday, his Dortmund side were struggling at home to Club Brugge in their Champions League opener – that was until they brought him on in the 68th minute.
Gittens scored Dortmund’s first two – his opener may have been a fortunate deflection, but his second was a brilliant effort after performing a multitude of step-overs before cutting on to his right.
Inspired by his performance Dortmund ended up comfortable 3-0 winners, while Gittens was named player of the match.
He may have even have had a hat-trick had Serhou Guirassy not been picked to take a late penalty ahead of him.
“Electric, the speed he has, the movement of the hips, as a defender it is your worst nightmare,” former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock told BBC Champions League Match of the Day.
“You can’t get anywhere near him, such is the speed of feet.”
The winger’s instant and sizeable impact off the bench is not new to Dortmund fans – he also scored two late goals in a 2-0 win over Frankfurt in August.
But his performance in the Champions League has global supporters taking note.
Following Sancho’s path
You may know the forward by his longer surname Bynoe-Gittens.
At the start of this season Gittens took the first part of his surname off his jersey, telling the Dortmund website both names are his father’s who suggested the move.
The switch has sparked a renaissance.
Born in London in August, 2004 he was originally on the books at Reading.
He moved to Manchester City‘s academy in 2018 but, like Sancho, chose not to sign on with the club two years later and moved to Dortmund in 2022.
He made his first team debut in April, 2022 and his Champions League bow against Chelsea 10 months later. He scored his first goal in Europe’s premier competition against AC Milan last campaign.
And, as he has developed up the Dortmund ranks, he has been progressing through England’s youth levels.
In 2022, Gittens helped the Young Lions win the European Under-19 Championship, starting the final.
Gittens living the dream
Having been a bit-part player for much of his Dortmund career, Gittens might be on the cusp of a superstar impact.
Last season he managed just two goals in the league and one in Europe. In just five matches this term he has eclipsed that total.
In the Bundesliga this season he has already made 88 “intense sprints”, hardly a surprise for a winger who likes to utilise his pace and quick feet.
After the match with Brugge he said: “It is really important to have made this start.
“I was asked to create more chances for my team, which I did.”
If he can keep it up, Dortmund, and England, have some player on their hands.
Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
There will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.
