Wednesday Wonderkids

Take a look at a deep dive into three promising young talents as part of our ongoing 'Wednesday Wonderkids' series.

Erik Kojzek (Striker, Wolfsberger AC)

Born two days into 2006, Kojzek grew up in a small Northern Slovenian town before embarking on a journey to an entirely new country at the age of 12. Moving to the Wolfsberg district in Austria was a big step. Wolfsberger are a progressive club on the rise. In the last decade alone, they have entered UEFA competition for the first time, leading them to play the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, and Borussia Dortmund. The icing on the cake was a first-ever Austrian Cup victory last season, a victorious squad that Kojzek was a part of. Playing in the final himself.

The targetman made his debut for Wolfsberger at the beginning of the 2024/25 season, and ended up with 10 goals and three assists in 863 minutes of gametime come the end of the campaign. Totalling out as a goal contribution every 66 minutes!

Kojzek appears to be the full package, standing at 6’4”, the centre forward is quick and is evidently a disciplined finisher. His performances in Wolfsberg have caught the eye of Ralf Rangnick, the Austrian first-team coach, who convinced the 19-year-old to switch allegiances from Slovenia to Austria. Kojzek is yet to play for the Austrian U21s, but Rangnick has labelled him as an “exciting player”, certainly one to look out for.

Erik Kojzek impressed last season with 13 goal involvements in just 863 minutes for Wolfsberger.

A modern target man with physicality, speed, and strong finishing.

19 years of age.

Possible bargain for many strong European clubs. 👀 pic.twitter.com/BTLaPaIxYk

— Football Talent Scout - Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) July 22, 2025

Roger Fernandes (Winger, SC Braga)

Portugal is certainly no stranger to producing top wonderkids on the wing. Braga aren’t either, in the last decade the club have overseen the development and sales of Pedro Neto, Rafa Silva, and Francisco Trincao. Roger Fernandes is next on the conveyor belt. The 19-year-old has been a familiar name in Portuguese football since 2021, when he became Braga’s second-youngest-ever player at just 15 years of age.

Fernandes would slowly integrate his way into the Braga first team, yet it was the 2024/25 season where he began to come into his own. The young talent made 48 appearances in all competitions for Braga, scoring five and assisting seven.

15-year-old Roger Fernandes became the youngest-ever player to score for SC Braga.

His celebration is what it’s all about ❤️

(via @SCBragaOficial)pic.twitter.com/FTw8BzKxMk

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 18, 2021

The left-footed winger has an excellent attitude and the ability to cover a fullback role if required. Standing at just 5’7”, Fernandes has the profile of a classic small, powerful and pacy winger, with great technical skill and creativity. His career in Portugal has led to strong links with Manchester United, a fairytale destination for the youngest player to score a brace in the Primeira Liga since Cristiano Ronaldo.

Franculino Dju (Striker, FC Midtjylland)

When Borussia Dortmund come calling, it is often for good reason. The player they are interested in? A 21-year-old striker by the name of Franculino Dju, who has been consistently scoring for Danish giants Midtjylland over the last two years. With 35 goals and 10 assists in 74 games, he has averaged a goal involvement every 94 minutes, an outstanding record to uphold.

A product of Benfica’s youth academy, Dju is an explosive forward who has already been capped 12 times by the Guinea-Bissau senior international team. His confidence in front of goal exceeds many his age, averaging a successful strike every 0.36 shots on target in the 2024/25 Danish Superliga. Utilising his pace to bully opposing defences. Dju has also garnered attention from Premier League clubs like Crystal Palace and might be a name we see a lot more of in the future…

🇬🇼⭐️ | 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐃𝐣𝐮́ (𝟐𝟏) — 2025/26:

• ⚽️⚽️ vs Silkeborg [Friendly]
• ⚽️ vs Randers [Friendly]
• ⚽️ vs Dynamo Kyiv [Friendly]
• ⚽️ vs Slo. Bratislava [Friendly]
• ⚽️⚽️ vs Odense [Danish Superliga]

Every game he played, he scored.

𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄! pic.twitter.com/mhVktQGQOf

— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) July 20, 2025

This week’s ‘Wednesday Wonderkids’ sees three highly rated attacking talents highlighted from three different leagues outside of the top five divisions. Kojzek, a relatively unknown quantity who has only been in the senior game for a year, but a player who is rated by one of the most influential managers of the 21st century. Fernandes and Dju, two Guinea-Bissau-born youngsters who took the leap at a young age to Portugal, and now find themselves starring in UEFA competitions for their clubs. What the trio all have in common is that 2024/25 was a massive season for them, bringing them closer to the spotlight than ever.