It’s not just the haircut that has everyone comparing Bayer Leverkusen’s Artem Stepanov to Erling Haaland.
The 17-year-old Ukrainian made his professional debut in Leverkusen’s 5-0 Champions League win over Salzburg, and turned plenty of heads due to his likeness to the game’s best goalscorer.
With a ponytail and shaved sides, Stepanov is also 6ft 3in tall and built like a tank despite being so young, making him a scary prospect for senior defenders already.
Stepanov arrived in Germany two years ago as a refugee from Russia’s attack on his home country, and he now looks set for a big role this season.
The man he replaced against Salzburg, Patrik Schick, has joined their only other out-and-out striker, Victor Boniface, on the sidelines, leaving Stepanov as their only target man.
With 11 goals in 16 games for the reserve side this season, it’s clear the forward knows where the goal is, something new teammate Granit Xhaka can attest to.
“You can see his statistics in the U19s. He hasn’t been in Germany for very long, but he has settled in very well and speaks good German. It’s very important for him that he understands things,” Xhaka said.
“He is brutally down to earth and listens too. For his age, he has a huge body and knows how to use it. He also knows exactly where the goal is, which is what counts as a striker.”
Leading German outlet Sport1 commented that ‘he already reminds us of Haaland’ and it’s a comparison that isn’t lost on Stepanov.
Discussing the comparisons to the his Manchester City man he calls his ‘idol’, he admitted: “Some people have already told me I’m like him.”
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