Francis Onyeka

Francis Onyeka

Full name: Francis-Ikechukwu Onyeka

Country: Germany/Nigeria

Date of birth: 29/05/2007 (17 years old)

Place of birth: Gummersbach (Germany)

Height: 186cm

Youth career: Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind, Bayer Leverkusen (since 2014)

Current club: Bayer Leverkusen

Squad number: 40

Current national team: Germany U-18

Position: central midfielder, attacking midfielder, winger

Preferred foot: left

Market value (by transfermarkt.de): —

Tournaments participated in: Algarve Cup 2024 (3/1), 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification elite round (3/2), UEFA Youth League 2024/2025 (2/2)

Contract until: 30.06.2027

Player’s agent: unknown

Transfer rumours: —

Similar type of player: Dele Alli/Matt O’Riley

Strengths:

– technique 

– ball control 

– creativity 

– passing 

– vision 

– versatility 

– first touch 

– physicality 

– athleticism 

– pace 

– football IQ 

– finishing 

– long shots 

– dribbling 

– movement 

To improve:

– can be slightly nonchalant on the ball and occasionally prone to losing concentration

– needs to improve on reducing selfishness and making better decisions in the final third

Style of play:

– advanced playmaker

– versatile and intelligent, capable of excelling in various roles such as advanced playmaker, roaming playmaker, shadow striker, and wide playmaker

– tall with excellent physical and athletic prowess

– very complete profile with a fantastic mix of physical and technical attributes

– strong with good pace at all distances for a player of his size

– excellent technique on the ball, mobility, short-dribbling, and good short-mid through passing ability

– enjoys having creative freedom and likes to roam the pitch to find space

– skillful ball carrier, who likes to have the ball at his feet and can make a difference at any time thanks to his shooting, dribbling skills, and ability to play the final ball

– displays elegance on the ball with a silky, refined touch and remarkable composure in crowded areas

– possesses excellent technique, vision, and the confidence to execute decisive passes, consistently setting up goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates

– dangerous when making late off-the-ball runs into the penalty area to showcase his finishing/shooting skills

– displays a natural technique to make fast decisions in tight spaces

– mature with strong spatial awareness and a solid understanding of the game

– powerful and accurate mid and long-range shooting skills/able to score spectacular goals from distance

– although his defensive positioning still needs improvement, he demonstrates a strong work rate, tenacity, and determination off the ball, showcasing excellent activity in pressing

After a good run through the middle, Onyeka scores with a superb mid-range shot.

After a superb ‘la pausa’, Onyeka provides an assist with a brilliant pass.

Onyeka enters the penalty area and scores with a powerful finish.

Heatmap by Wyscout:

He is best suited to playing as:

Central midfielder in 4-3-3.

Video:

Achievements:

German U-17 Championship 2023/2024 runner-up with Bayer Leverkusen.

League summary (as of 2 October 2024):

No senior team appearances yet.

Description:

Francis Onyeka joined Bayer Leverkusen’s youth academy from SC Borussia Lindenthal-Hohenlind in 2014. He is one of the leaders of an outstanding generation of Leverkusen U-19 players, which includes talents like Naba Mensah, Kerim Alajbegović, Artem Stepanov, Ken Izekor, Francesco Buono, Andrea Natali, Jesper Schlich, and Montrell Culbreath. Francis has already been on the first-team bench multiple times, and his professional debut seems imminent. A regular youth international for Germany, he is currently a key player in the U-18 squad.

Quotes:

—

Football Talent Scout potential rating:

9/10  

Player has the potential to become a key player in a top European club.

Links:

Transfermarkt

Soccerway

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