Berg Set Europe On Fire At The U-21 Championship, But Has Failed To Replicate That Form In The Bundesliga.

Hamburg’s Marcus Berg has agreed a one-year loan deal with PSV, after falling down the pecking order at his club after failing to impress in his first season. Having played 30 games for HSV and only scoring 4 goals, Hamburg have decided that the young Swedish star is in need of a year out on loan to recapture the form that brought him to the Bundesliga in the first place.

Berg was, at one stage, one of the hottest young strikers in Europe. Having scored 33 goals in 56 games with FC Groningen in Holland at such a young age, much was expected of the young Swede. He only boosted his European reputation at the 2009 European U-21 competition, where he won the Golden Boot and the Player Of The Tournament awards. Berg’s sensational ability to find the back of the net saw suitors from the biggest clubs in Europe fight for his signature. In the end, it was Hamburg who captured the young star.

Unfortunately, Berg failed to impress in his first season in the Bundesliga. And, with the arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid in January of the 09/10 season, Berg’s place in the team was under immediate threat. Now, Berg looks set to return to the Eredivisie for another season to re-ignite his goalscoring form. PSV will be a great opportunity for the young Swede to get his career back on track, and then return to Hamburg in time to take his spot in the starting lineup back from the aging Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Sweden will be disappointed that one of their greatest prospects has failed to live up to expectations so far. Having already lost Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to retirement and international retirement respectively, Marcus Berg would have been the perfect player to fill the void up top for Sweden. But, before Berg can think about representing his national team, he will have to think of once again impressing in the Eredivisie.

Hamburg, in the mean time, will put their faith in the experienced Ruud van Nistelrooy, Mladen Petric and Paolo Guerrero to bang in the goals in the upcoming Bundesliga season. Should Berg impress, he will be the future of Hamburg’s attack, alongside Tunay Torun and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.