Sane, Rudiger, Gundogan omitted from Germany squad as Flick assesses youth

Germany coach Hansi Flick on Friday left out experienced players Leroy Sane, Ilkay Gundogan, Antonio Rudiger, and Niklas Sule from his squad for friendlies against Peru and Belgium.

Flick wants to give opportunities to younger players with Germany hosting Euro 2024 and had already said he would drop Thomas Muller from the squad to face Peru on March 25 and Belgium three days later.

Five uncapped players were included in the 24-man group as Flick called up Stuttgart defender Josha Vagnoman, Borussia Dortmund's Marius Wolf, Wolfsburg midfielder Felix Nmecha, Brentford winger Kevin Schade, and Augsburg forward Mergim Berisha.

"It's our job to find alternatives and to expand the squad," said Flick, who is trying to rebuild the team after Germany suffered a second successive World Cup group-stage exit in Qatar.

Squad in full

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Fulham/ENG), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Defenders: Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton/ENG), Matthias Ginter, Christian Gunter (Freiburg), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham/ENG), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Nico Schlotterbeck, Marius Wolf (Borussia Dortmund), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Mario Goetze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Wolfsburg), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Mergim Berisha (Augsburg), Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Kai Havertz (Chelsea/ENG), Kevin Schade (Brentford/ENG), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)