German football weekly hails Dejagah as Bundesliga's top discovery

IRNA - Hertha Berlin's Iranian striker Ashkan Dejagah has been recognized as one the biggest football discoveries at the halfway point of the Bundesliga season, the prestigious kicker sports magazine said in its Thursday edition.

The 20-year-old Dejagah was named among 18 young-and-upcoming players who have made football headlines during the first half of the 2006-7 Bundesliga season.

The paper pointed out that Dejagah has managed to secure a starting place at Hertha Berlin.

It predicted that Dejagah will be in a tight race to keep his spot in the first team once injured Hertha Berlin playmaker Yildiray Basturk returns to the squad after the winter break.

Hertha manager Dieter Hoeness announced earlier that Dejagah's contract will be extended beyond this season.

The German Under-20 national team forward is viewed as one of the country's great football hopes by experts.