Clubs: 1. FC Nürnberg, Borussia Dortmund

• Joined VfL Bochum 1848's youth sector at 15 but switched to 1. FC Nürnberg midway through the 2008/09 season and helped the club win promotion to the Bundesliga.

• A German youth international at assorted age groups, he made 22 appearances for Nürnberg in his debut Bundesliga campaign, scoring one goal – in a 1-1 draw with regional rivals FC Bayern München on 20 February 2010.

• Helped Nürnberg rise ten places up the Bundesliga table in 2010/11 (from 16th to 6th), scoring five goals in 25 league games and earning a move to champions Dortmund, where he was recruited to replace Real Madrid CF-bound schemer Nuri Şahin.

• Struggled in the first half of the campaign – his two UEFA Champions League outings both ended in defeat – but came on strong for Dortmund in the spring, notably scoring the club's extra-time winner in the semi-final of the German Cup against SpVgg Greuther Fürth; ended the season with winners' medals in the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, playing the full 90 minutes of the Berlin showdown against Bayern.

• Graduated from Germany Under-21s to the senior squad, making his debut in the Nationalmannschaft's final UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier, at home to Belgium on 11 October 2011, when he came on as a late substitute for Philipp Lahm.