Bayern Munich talent Aleksander Pavlovic and the VfB Stuttgart trio of Waldemar Anton, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Deniz Undav are reportedly set to be called up for the first time on Thursday in a major Germany squad overhaul.
The Bild paper and Kicker magazine said on Tuesday that coach Julian Nagelsmann would surprisingly not pick Leon Goretzka and instead nominate the 19-year-old Munich midfield team-mate Pavlovic for upcoming friendlies in France and against the Netherlands.
Sky TV reported that Nagelsmann was set to pick four players from high-flying Stuttgart, with Chris Führich returning and centre back Anton, left back Mittelstädt and striker Undav set for a squad debut.
And Sport Bild said that striker Niclas Füllkrug would be the only Dortmund player in the squad, with no place for Mats Hummels, Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck and Julian Brandt - unless one or more played a great Champions League game Wednesday against PSV Eindhoven.
Neither report cited sources.
Nagelsmann has announced changes and squad surprises after Germany lost their last two games against Turkey and Austria.
A turnaround is needed in the final countdown to the Euro 2024 home tournament Germany start on June 14 against Scotland, and Nagelsmann told Der Spiegel magazine recently he wants to change the mentality of the team.
"We will have more players in the squad who also work for others and who are less interested in shining with a great pass," Nagelsmann said.
It has already been announced that midfielder and 2014 World Cup winner Toni Kroos is coming out of international retirement after three years for the friendlies on March 23 in Lyon against France and three days later in Frankfurt against the Dutch.
Pavlovic has played a strong season and has become a regular in the Bayern line-up, alongside Goretzka who has returned to form lately and was expected to be picked.
German under-20 international Pavlovic is also sought by Serbia but a senior team appearance for Nagelsmann's side would end that interest.
Former Germany captain and 1990 World Cup winner Lothar Matthäus suggested in his Sky column that the team has enough top midfielders and that a call-up may be too early for Pavlovic.
"You have to acknowledge that he has played superbly recently, but you shouldn't turn the boy's head," Matthäus said.
Matthäus said that Nagelsmann should make defensive changes and was full of praise for the Stuttgart captain Anton.
"I would definitely invite him, also because he is a team leader," Matthäus said.
Stuttgart are playing an outstanding season and are third in the Bundesliga. Anton and Mittelstädt could help bolster the at times shaky defence while Undav is seen as a back-up for Füllkrug.
Matthäus added that forwards Jan-Niklas Beste of Heidenheim and Maximilian Beier of Hoffenheim could also be candidates because they have done well lately "and have something that others may not have, such as dangerous dead ball situations and speed."
The March friendlies are the last games before Nagelsmann picks his provisional Euro tournament. One or two further tune-up games are planned just before the Euros where Germany play Hungary and Switzerland in their other group games.
