Wunderkids

It is a blank cheque to build the most exciting young starting XI in world football.

That is exactly what the new radio show is offering, in fantasy form, over its 11 episodes. Listen to the first two episodes now.

Steve Crossman will be joined by experts to discuss the latest addition to the team and one new player will be revealed each week.

  • Listen to the second episode of Wunderkids

Each player must be young and have the potential to become the next superstars in their position.

We are not going for the obvious names, but we are looking at the players who are on the verge of making the breakthrough into the big time.

In the first episode, we filled one of the strikers positions with a new Manchester City player, and in this week's episode, we are looking at the right-wing spot. His place in the team has been taken by the Bayer Leverkusen player.

Who is he?

Florian Wirtz
Born in 2003, Florian Wirtz was his parents' 10th child

Many people have seen the progress of the 18-year-old, who has been dubbed the next Kai Havertz, but he is more than just a successor to the German.

After Havertz joined the club from Cologne, he was replaced in the team by a younger player, who was quickly tracked through the youth team.

Havertz was the youngest debutant in the history of the club and he was the only one to score in every game, but he was seen as being further down the development road.

A sporting career was always on the cards according to his family background. His father owned and managed a football club while his mother was a coach and his sister is a professional footballer.

What does the expert say?

Jasmine Baba is a German football consultant.

In youth football, your family is a main part of the club. It was his father.

The club his dad owned was where he and his sister played, and it was there that he was able to play against his sister because she was more defensive-minded.

His father calls him a perfect number 10 because he is the 10th child in his family and he is a number 10. He can play both sides of the ball, as an attacking and right-winger.

Being recognised in Cologne as a child was a big deal. He became famous there. In the second half of the season, he scored around three goals and got two assists, and he amazed everyone, even though he wasn't playing much in the first half.

His coaches could see that he was always good, but then he suddenly became famous. He exploded his career and image when he scored from the halfway line in a viral clip. He was suddenly being looked at by a lot of clubs, but he decided to go to a club that was close to Cologne and his sister.

What does the fan say?

Julia is on the Neverkusen Podcast.

Floyd is a special talent. He's the most talented 18-year-old player in Germany. I didn't think we would have another player like Kai Havertz so soon.

Wirtz has developed quickly. He has a good technique and is fast.

He has the chance to become one of the best football players in the world.

Florian Wirtz