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
– dribbling
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:
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Football Talent Scout potential rating:
9/10 
Player has the potential to become a key player in a top European club.
Links: