Everton are keen to strike a deal for a teenage central midfielder, but there are also two other clubs who are hoping to bring him to the Premier League.
Who are Everton’s youngest players?
The Toffees currently have four squad members who are aged 21 or under, starting with Youssef Chermiti at 19, followed by Lewis Dobbin and Tyler Onyango who are both 20, alongside Jarrad Branthwaite who is 21.
The Merseyside outfit had to rely on their most experienced players towards the end of last season when Sean Dyche needed everyone to step up to survive relegation, so the up-and-coming talents haven’t had a real chance to prove what they are capable of.
The Goodison Park outfit, however, are looking to change that and have set their sights on FC Schalke’s Assan Ouedraogo, who having worked his way up through their academy, has made nine senior appearances for the first-team (Transfermarkt – Ouedraogo statistics).
Germany’s youth international, who is just 17 years old, still has four years remaining on his deal (FC Schalke contracts), but having impressed since first bursting onto the professional scene, he’s caught the eye of three high-profile teams in the top-flight.
Assan Ouedraogo transfer update
Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg shared a transfer update on Assan Ouedraogo and name-checked Everton as one of the midfielder’s three potential suitors in England.
He wrote: “Liverpool and especially Jurgen Klopp is monitoring the development of Assan Ouedraogo! The 17 y/o versatile midfielder from @s04 has a release clause in 2024. Clubs from abroad have to pay around €20m [£17m]. Next to #LFC more clubs from [England] are interested: Everton & Brighton!”
According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ouedraogo is an “exciting” player with bags of potential in his back pocket, and having already shown the positive impact he’s capable of making, it would be a massive coup should he decide to put pen to paper at Everton.
Standing at 6 foot 3, Schalke’s young colossus has already posted 31 contributions (17 goals and 14 assists) in 45 appearances across youth and senior levels, and even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he’s able to pose a constant threat to the opposition’s defence.
The Mulheim native currently ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons by midfielders so loves to use his physicality and skill to dribble past his marker and create as many chances as possible for both himself and his teammates in the final third, whenever he gets the opportunity to do so (FBRef – Ouedraogo statistics).
Ouedraogo has already had a taste of success having been crowned an U17s champion with both Schalke in the Bundesliga and internationally with Germany, so he would be able to pass on a much-needed winning mentality to the rest of the squad who are in L4.
