Wednesday Wonderkids - The Top Under-21 Stars From This Week in Football

Wednesday Wonderkids - The Top Under-21 Stars From This Week in Football

Football Blog

Wednesday Wonderkids - The Top Young Stars From the Past Week in Football

Wonderkids make the world go round - is that what they say nowadays?

Whether they do or do not, few can deny the excitement that tingles upon seeing a club's latest young prospect make serious waves at a senior level is undeniable. In fact, it seems that squads and individual players are coming through younger and burning out earlier in many ways... but that's an argument for another day.

Whilst the Lamine Yamals, Max Dowmans and Franco Mastantuanos of the world continue to dominate the headlines every week, we at Football Park know that the next batch of young superstars have likely not been on the front page too many times just yet in their fledgling young careers. As such, every Wednesday, we go on the hunt for the game's top-performing under-21 talents from around the planet and give them their dues with a highlight of our own.

Assane Diao (20) - Como - RW

After bursting into fruition under Cesc Fabregas at Como, following an eye-catching transfer from Real Betis in Spain, 20-year-old Senegal talent Assane Diao returned from a three-month injury layoff against Pisa at the weekend in the most dramatic of fashions.

Como, sitting fourth in a shock push for a Champions League spot, are flying high this season with a polite smattering of young superstars such as Nico Paz and Maximo Perrone, coupled in with some wily veterans like Sergi Roberto and Alberto Moreno. This cocktail of youth and experience has provided a sensational breeding ground for strong talents, and Diao's flashy tricks and bewildering pace on the right flank is a sure-fire beneficiary of this.

It took Diao just half an hour of play to remind the Serie A what they had been missing, and just seven minutes to get back onto the scoresheet. The Senegal star broke in on the right of Pisa's backline before flashing a drive shot across Nicolas and into the bottom-right corner, before squaring a fine pass central to Taso Douvikas to make it 2-0 on the half-hour mark.

In his 77-minute return, Diao would be a constant thorn in Pisa's side with his quick-witted attacking sense, and was brought off to a strong ovation by his home supporters who were so keen to see him back amidst their unlikely hunt for Europe.

Maxi Oyedele (21) - Strasbourg - CM

I mean, just look at the goal above!

Maxi Oyedele of Poland had to bide his time before getting a shot at the big leagues. He was a part of Manchester United's since 2021 and spent time on loan with the likes of Altrincham and Forest Green Rovers before enjoying an impressive pre-season under then-manager Erik ten Hag. Despite this, he made his way out of Old Trafford back to Poland with Legia Warsaw.

After a sole season there, he was picked up by French side Strasbourg in the summer transfer window and has since made five first-team appearances. This latest one, in a 3-2 away win over Nantes, will be his most memorable as it was here he picked out his first senior goal in a major league (sorry Altrincham fans).

With Nantes leading 1-0 thanks to an early strike from Dehmaine Tabibou, Oydele picked up possession in the pocket, rolled himself into some dangerous space and swept home a beautiful finish into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot. He's been made to wait for the big chances to come but, if his first goal is anything to go by, there will be plenty more to come for the twice-capped Poland international.

Paxten Aaronson (22) - Colorado Rapids - AM

Sometimes, to step forward in a career, one has to take a little step back to take stock. After his European adventures with the likes of Utrecht and Frankfurt came to a close, that is exactly what USMNT starlet Paxten Aaronson has done with his MLS return in August 2025.

With the MLS season now underway, Aaronson got off to a fine start on MW5 to help the Rapids to their third win of the season, having played a starring role without the goals and assists to show beforehand. The classy operator was on hand in front of goal this weekend against Sporting Kansas City, however, sweeping home two fine efforts as part of their stomping 4-1 win away from home.

He's got four caps for the United States senior side to his name already, and will be looking to put down a serious marker before his home country plays in as the hosts of the World Cup later on this summer. With the performances he's been showing this term under his belt already, there is very little to suggest he can't be a key operator for the USMNT later this year, and indeed for years to come.

Rayan Kolli (21) - QPR - ST

QPR seem to know their shit when it comes to young talents, so it seems. The club once boasted the likes of Eberechi Eze and, way back when, Raheem Sterling, and they now boast talents like Richard Kone and this young star hailing from Algeria - Rayan Kolli.

Both Kone and Kolli were at the double in the R's 6-1 thrashing of lowly Portsmouth at the weekend. With QPR sat six places and 10 points adrift of the playoff spots with nine games left to play, performances like that at the weekend may keep even the most fibrous and stretched beliefs in their end-of-season fate alive.

Kolli was purring away at the helm of QPR's front line this weekend, and both of his goals were absolute scorchers. One of the notable attributes of Kolli this term, amongst his 10 goals for the club, is his ability to shoot with proper power and placement. His first came out of nowhere, pirouetting away from his marker some 25 yards from goal, before picking out the bottom-right corner from range with a perfect, placed drive. With QPR already boasting three goals to their name, he made his a double after being picked out in the right-hand channel. He drove into space, and sent a belting drive beyond a helpless Nicolas Schmid to add another for himself and another to the rout.

He's a strong talent, though can be inconsistent in parts. On his best days, however, Rayan Kolli comes close to being unplayable.

Carlos Espi (20) - Levante - ST

As the above post suggests, Carlos Espi is a superstar in the making yet nobody appears to have his name on their lips.

The striker, hailing from Spain and standing at 6'4, is a unique blend of raw pace, eye-catching physical power and finishing prowess. His two goals at the weekend against Real Oviedo made it seven goals for Espi for the season, with six of them stunningly landing in his last four matches - just as many games as he has started this season!

His first goal was a clever bit of striking play - after getting in behind on the right channel, the Spaniard calmly caught an exposed Aaron Escandell out with a bending, clever finish from outside the area, and he would trouble him again with his natural poachers instincts not long after. A cross was sent into the box and not properly dealt with by Oviedo, only for the talented young forward to steal straight onto the chance and bury his second of the day, and sixth in his last four games.

His stock is rising at a sensational pace in La Liga, and yet not many appear to have cobbed onto his form and talent. It won't be long until some lucky club has a look at his availability and gives Levante some trouble for his services.

Louis Wheeldon
Louis Wheeldon Lead Writer and Editor

An avid gambler, football obsessive and loyal Nottingham Forest fan, Louis has been writing about football and wider sports since he was just 15 years old.

Armed with a Football Journalism degree from the University of Derby, he initially joined the Football Park team in April 2025 as a Freelance Writer, before quickly being offered a full-time position as the site's Lead Writer and Betting Strategist. His time working in football has taken him to every corner of the sports media landscape possible, with roles for GiveMeSport, Reach PLC and VAVEL included amongst the 15 different websites he has written for in the past, whilst his roles in club media include non-league sides Hucknall Town and Basford United - he can still be found on live radio commentary with the latter from time to time - as well as Nottingham Forest themselves.

During his tenure at GiveMeSport, Louis showcased his range by producing everything from historical deep-dives into Liverpool's greatest-ever finishers to tactical breakdowns. His expertise also extends to the betting markets, where he has provided sharp match analysis and predictions for fixtures such as England vs. Finland in the Nations League.

Louis holds a knowledge of the 92 and it's various combatants that is as varied as it is mildly concerning. He channelled this keen interest in the sport into a hopeful career in professional journalism back in 2018 with the launch of his own personal From12Yards blog whilst studying for his GCSE's, before expanding his list of clientele with articles on his beloved Nottingham Forest for a local newspaper and freelancing for different publications over a range of sports, including darts, professional wrestling, MMA, boxing and Formula 1 (he talks about Daniel Ricciardo a concerning amount).

View all articles by Louis Wheeldon →

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