After Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz, who will be Bayer Leverkusen's next breakout star?
Bayer Leverkusen have given world football some of its best young players in recent seasons, but who else is there who might follow in the footsteps of Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz?
Bayer finally shook their unwanted Neverkusen tag last season, with Xabi Alonso's men going undefeated on their way to a maiden Bundesliga title. At 21, Wirtz has already become a key player under the Spaniard, but he may not be the youngest in the team for much longer.
bundesliga.com takes a look at five players who could be ready to make their own breakthrough with Bayer…
Jeanuël Belocian
Age: 19 (born 17 February 2005)
Position: Centre-back
Country: France (31 youth international caps up to U21 level)
Jeanuël Belocian joined Leverkusen from Rennes at the start of the season and has slotted straight into the first-team frame, despite still being eligible for the U19s. "[He's] a great talent, but already has a lot of experience at the highest level in France," explained sporting director Simon Rolfes at the time. Five Bundesliga games later and he has four wins and a draw against Bayern Munich under his belt.
A left-footed defender, Belocian - who is the younger brother of French Olympic hurdler and sprinter Wilhem - is nominally a centre-back, but he has also featured further up the flank in Álex Grimaldo's stead this season, and can operate in central midfield too.
Alejo Sarco
Age: 19 (born 6 January 2006)
Position: Forward
Country: Argentina (19 U17 caps, six goals)/Italy
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Alejo Sarco followed Belocian to the BayArena in January after his contract with Vélez Sarsfield expired, and has been training with Die Werkself's first-team ever since. He has had to be somewhat patient for his full debut with Patrik Schick and Victor Boniface dominating the attacking positions, but recent history suggests an ability to make an impact.
A left-footed forward who's stocky frame belies his tender 19 years, Sarco had scored five goals in five youth league games before his promotion to Vélez's seniors in 2024, and added another goal and assist on the way to them winning the Argentine Primera División title.
Francis Onyeka
Age: 17 (born 29 April 2007)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Country: Germany (24 youth international caps, 11 goals up to U18 level)/Nigeria
The player most stylistically similar to Havertz and Wirtz who have gone before him, Francis Onyeka is a modern No.10 with five goals and two assists from 18 outings at U19 level this season. He has had to be patient for his Bundesliga debut, making the bench 10 times in the league so far, but was handed a UEFA Champions League bow in a 5-0 win over Salzburg in November.
Onyeka won the Fritz Walter Gold Medal in the U17 category last year. Previous winners include Mario Götze, Leon Goretzka and Timo Werner, and his 11 goals in 22 youth international appearances would suggest he could follow them in playing for Germany - providing Nigeria, whom he qualifies through his father, don't swoop.
Artem Stepanov
Age: 17 (born 10 August 2007)
Position: Striker
Country: Ukraine (12 youth international caps, eight goals up to U19 level)
Another attacker in this list, Artem Stepanov is an out-and-out striker. Indeed, he and Sarco could one day play as a little and large pairing up front given the Ukrainian's 6'4" frame.
Stepanov joined Leverkusen two years ago at the age of 15 when Russia's invasion of his homeland made leaving Shakhtar Donetsk a necessity, and his numbers since have been impressive, with 39 goals in 66 games for Bayer's youth teams. Little wonder he was handed a pro contract last January and a UEFA Champions league debut in November.
Andrea Natali
Age: 17 (born 28 January 2008)
Position: Centre-back
Country: Italy (32 youth international caps up to U19 level)
The son of former Serie A stalwart Cesare, Andrea Natali had already played for the AC Milan and Barcelona youth academies before joining up with Leverkusen last June.
A centre-back like his father, Natali started five of Italy's six games as they won the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Cyprus last June, where he won praise for his ability to beat the press and pass out from the back.
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