Germany Under-17 head coach Christian Wuck has cautioned against over-hyping Bayer Leverkusen prodigy Florian Wirtz, saying he should not be compared to team-mate Kai Havertz.
Wirtz recently broke Havertz's Leverkusen record for the club's youngest debutant, coming on against Werder Bremen on May 18 at the age of 17 years and 15 days. The attacking midfielder is considered one of Germany's top young talents, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich both missing out on a chance to sign him previously.
Wuck, who has managed Wirtz at the U17 level for Germany, believes he is one of the top three prospects in his age group and has the potential to reach Germany's senior team.
"We at the DFB [German Football Federation] believe that he is an outstanding player in the 2003 year," Wuck told Goal and SPOX.
"I have been able to accompany the 2003 year [players] over the past few years and think that there are some interesting players. Flo is certainly one of the top three. He can go a long way if he continues like this. And if the way leads to the senior national team, that would be a really great story.
"Flo is incredibly intelligent. He recognizes situations on the field within a very short time and draws the right conclusions. What makes him so special and what sets him apart from many other youth players is his excellent training in basic technology. He is two-footed and has incredibly good technique."
Wirtz doesn't need to look far for a player to emulate, as Havertz has moved from Leverkusen's youth side to the senior team and eventually the Germany national team. At the age of 20, Havertz is being targeted by some of Europe's biggest clubs and Leverkusen have made clear they will be unwilling to sell for anything less than €100 million.
Though Wuck believes that Wirtz has an abundance of talent, he has cautioned against any comparisons to Havertz and insisted that the teenager must be given the freedom to learn his craft.
"Flo can deal with such reports and statements," Wuck added. "I don't know whether you should already compare him with Kai, a current top player in Germany. My tip: Just let the boy play!"
