Marco Fabian: Eintracht Frankfurt's new leader
Since arriving in the Bundesliga in January 2016, Marco Fabian has become key to everything good at Eintracht Frankfurt. Having helped to secure an 11th placed finish last season, as well as the club's first appearance in a DFB Cup final since 2006, the future of Frankfurt looks to be on the rise with the Mexican maestro leading the way.
The 27-year-old attacker has been the driving force of the team ever since he earned a spot in the side following a trying first few months in Germany. From his usual position in midfield, Fabian has provided a fantastic output in terms of goals and assists.
He has scored seven times and set up four more in 39 Bundesliga outings - the highest attacking contribution from any Frankfurt player since his arrival.
Born in Guadalajara, like his compatriot at Bayer Leverkusen, Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, Fabian debuted for Chivas at the age of 18 and scored seven in his first 18 games, before adding 19 in 26 matches the following season, alerting Frankfurt to his talent.
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He arrived last year, and became so enamoured with life at the Eagles that he added his name to the list of more than 30,000 official members. "I love Eintracht and have become a lifelong member of the club," Fabian said.
The Olympic Games gold medallist from 2012 needed some time to settle in his new Bundesliga environment, but 2016/17 saw him come of age to help Frankfurt finish just six points off a place in Europe and a significant improvement on the previous campaign, when Fabian found out just what it means to play in – and win – a relegation play-off.
For many overseas players coming to the Bundesliga, one of the more difficult obstacles to pass is language. For Fabian, though, it was a challenge and opportunity that he was never going to shy away from. Now 18 months into his time in Germany, Fabian has already mastered the German language enough to speak it everyday within the club, no longer requiring a translator.
That confidence is reflected in his on-field displays too. Since joining Frankfurt, Fabian has hit the target against teams such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Hertha Berlin and Bayer Leverkusen, proving he can deliver when it matters most in the biggest, most important games.
Watch: Fabian's top five Bundesliga goals in 2016/17