Meet Assan Ouedraogo: 17-year-old sensation Liverpool are ready to pay €20M to sign

Liverpool are striking fear into their European rivals amid claims AC Milan are afraid the Merseysiders will win the race to sign Schalke prodigy Assan Ouédraogo.

The Reds are described in a report from an Italian publication as being the a threat to Milan's hopes of signing the German youngster.

Calciomercato states RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Liverpool "represent the real threats" in the battle for his signature.

His release clause is worth €20 million (£17.4m) which may seem like a lot but the 17-year-old is set for a bright future.

But who is Ouedraogo? Just 17, he has already captured the attention of the biggest clubs in the world.

So, who is 17-year-old 2. Bundesliga sensation Assan Ouedraogo?

Born in Mulheim, Forzan Assan Ouédraogo is now representing Germany at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Indonesia after bursting onto the scene with the Schalke in the 2. Bundesliga.

He was born in 2006 and is part of the next generation of talent coming through.

Since signing a contract extension in November 2022, which is valid until 2027, he has been on an upward trajectory.

As mentioned before, it does include a release clause worth €20 million.

The first signs of Oueadrago's breakthrough season came when he scored his first goal for the senior side in a 2–2 friendly draw with 1. FC Bocholt in July.

He made his debut with the 2. Bundesliga side at the start of the 2023/24 season and has since made 11 appearances, showcasing his talent, scoring once and assisting once.

His stats are already extremely encouraging despite a small sample size and it's clear to see why Liverpool want him. Standing at six foot four, the Bundesliga star is on his way to being a top player.

Granted, this heatmap, is based on only 591 minutes this season, this is a look at where the midfielder pops up on the pitch.

There is certainly a lot more to come from Ouedraogo and there's no doubt playing at the FIFA U17 World Cup will be an educational experience beyond anything else.

His future is very bright, as underlined by a Schalke boss.

Ouedraogo is "tall, intelligent, technical"

The words used to describe Assan Ouedraogo from Mathias Schober, Director of Knappenschmiede and Development at Schalke.

Speaking after the 17-year-old (who was actually 16 at the time) signed his contact, Schober said: “Assan brings a lot to be successful in professional football.

"He is tall, dynamic, technically adept and has a high level of game intelligence.

"Physically he certainly still needs to gain weight, but that's completely normal at his age.

"We will support him in taking the necessary steps together in the coming years so that he can bring his full potential onto the pitch.

"Assan Ouédraogo is an example of the valuable work in our youth academy. I’m excited to see how his development will continue.”

If you want to see if he passes the 'eye test', watch this compilation.

If you want to watch more of him, he is in Indonesia right now competing at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Jakarta.

Every game is being played at Jakarta International Stadium.

You can watch it for free via the FIFA website.

How to watch the FIFA U17 World Cup for free with two steps

On your PC or mobile phone, you can head to the official FIFA website to watch the FIFA U17 World Cup for free.

When you're on the website, there will be live streams and highlights for all the games until the tournament ends on the 2nd of December.

Here are the two simple steps to watch the next generation of footballers go head to head

Step one: Head to FIFA's live stream hub and select the game you want to watch.

Step two: Click 'Watch Free' and enjoy!