Despite still being only 17 years old and having featured in just 11 professional matches during his career to date, some of Europe’s biggest clubs are already targeting a move for Schalke’s Assan Ouédraogo during this winter transfer window.
By Nathan Evans
Promoted to the first team at VELTINS-Arena over the summer, the youngster’s progression into the Royal Blue’s squad has proven to be one of the only bright spots during a campaign in which Schalke have struggled in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga following their top-flight relegation last season.
The German youth international – who helped his side to win the U17 European Championships last year – operates as an attacking central midfielder and with a release clause said to be on the lower side of the €7m mark (in his current contract), expect to see a tussle take place for his signature in the very near future.
The son of former Burkinabé international Alassane Ouédraogo, the 17-year-old has shot to fame in Germany over recent months after receiving a surprise start in Schalke’s first team for their opening match of the 2023/24 season. On that occasion, he produced a memorable cameo to score after just 22 minutes of play, even if his side ended up on the receiving end of a 5-3 defeat at Hamburg.
Although he hasn’t scored again since, that’s not to say that the goals have dried up, as a look at his youth career at Schalke paints a picture of a player who is well used to finding the back of the net. As well as proving prolific at the U17 level, he then went on to net seven times in 13 matches for the U19 squad during the 2022/23 campaign before putting together a string of impressive performances for Germany at the U17 European Championships. There’s also other areas of his game that highlight him as one of the country’s most promising youngsters.
Deployed as a central midfielder in Schalke’s 4-3-3 set up before he sustained an injury in mid-November, Ouédraogo acted as the most attacking option of the three. His box-to-box approach saw him join the offensive line multiple times during each match, with his favourite approach of advancing in 1-vs-1 situations, in which he thrives, was commonly seen. That can be best seen by the fact that during this campaign in Germany’s second tier, no midfielder has averaged more successful dribbles per 90 (3.50) than the Schalke youngster.
His shots per 90 figure of 1.82 and on target equivalent of 0.76 also rank him among the top 20% of all midfielders in the division and potentially point towards a future that could be formed by adopting a different position on the field as opposed to central midfield. The 17-year-old could easily be deployed as an intelligent and skillful winger, or he could be moved further forward to play in a central attacking role to really support the striker in any given formation. With 23 touches in the opposition box through 11 matches, he could equally be comfortable playing upfront if needed in the future.
That doesn’t mean that Ouédraogo shuns his defensive duties though. In fact, due to his youthful exuberance, his pressing capabilities are one of his strongest skills, as his high work rate and determination mean that during a match he can cover a lot of ground to aid his team’s efforts. His return of 7.15 duels won, on average, per league outing this season comfortably places him amongst the strongest players in his position, in that regard, and back up the claims made by the official Bundesliga website who have likened his abilities to those of a certain Michael Essien.
At 6 foot 3, the 17-year-old has a powerful frame that offers him both the pace to help track back for his side and a long reach when making important slide tackles which has seen him be dribbled past successfully just once this campaign. He’s also already seemingly experienced in using his strength in the best possible way to both shield the ball from opposition players and win possession back when needed. On top of that, Ouédraogo has a fantastic weak foot for a player of his age which again, could open up further opportunity of playing in different positions during his future career.
What happens next could prove to be the biggest decision of his career. According to reports, there are at least ten top sides looking to secure his services during this upcoming transfer window, from Inter Milan, to Bayern Munich, who supposedly remain in pole position to grab his signature. Rumours also suggest that if Assan Ouédraogo does join Bayern, he’ll be thrown straight into the first team squad and given the game time that he needs to continue his impressive development.
(Images from IMAGO)
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