体坛英语新闻：Enchanting youngsters help Leverkusen's rising star

BERLIN, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Both Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz entirely fulfil the requisites of modern football. The pair possess the highest level of technical skills, and delivery speed, and are vital forces of Bayer Leverkusen's pressing machine.

Not that unusual in today's football, right? Not even close. The duo are in the youngest age-group currently in the Bundesliga. Wirtz just turned 17 and is seen as the side's new wonderboy. Havertz, already be in his fourth year as a professional, is only 20 years old.

Despite their young age, Wirtz and Havertz are placed in the embattled front line. In the nail-biting race for a Champions League qualification spot, the enchanting rookies seem to push the team of Dutch coach Peter Bosz to new heights.

Havertz has scored five goals in four games since the leagues restart after the season was interrupted due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

His latest goal, delivering a 1-0 victory away to Freiburg, made him the youngest player in the league's history to score 35 goals. The young sensation has also had a hand in 13 goals in the season's second half.

It is an open secret that the reluctant attacker is already on the interest list of several top European sides. According to media reports, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are eying the gifted forward.

While his contract is valid until 2022, the hottest commodity of German football announced he would soon be ready for his next significant career step.

Spanish media have reported several efforts by Real coach Zinedine Zidane to sign the German for the upcoming season. Football's insecure future due to the current turbulence might slow down transfer speculation as transfer fees are expected to decrease.

Havertz value is said to be around 80 to 100 million euros, and Leverkusen have made it clear they will accept nothing less than a sum near that.

One could reasonably expect Havertz to have an adverse reaction to the speculations. Instead, it is striking that the emerging super-star isn't affected by the noise around him too much.

Havertz is very familiar with different positions on the front line of the formation. In Freiburg, he again slipped into the role of the side's spearhead but can also offer a lot of value in midfield.

Over the past years, Leverkusen might not have won titles, but the 2002 Champions League finalists always deliver when it comes to producing promising talent.

Now a new star shines in the Leverkusen sky.

Wirtz is said to be equally talented as his teammate.

It might take some more games to kick the can down the road for the rookie. But midfielder Sven Bender is convinced the youngster is going to make it. "He is incredibly gifted, he is a sensation," Bender commented.

Wirtz made his debut only a few weeks ago with Bayer crushing Bremen 4-1.

The German association's talent coordinator, Meikel Schoenweitz, called him the new hope for the German national team.

For now, Leverkusen seems the perfect spot for him to develop. Having rejected an offer from Bayern Munich, the youngster's family chose the Northern-Rhine Westphaliaclub as it proved to provide the best chance to get playing minutes.

Both Havertz and Wirtz claim to have improved significantly with the help of former Dortmund coach Bosz. "He has widened my horizons and helped me to get to new shores as far as football is concerned," Havertz said.