The 'two-metre Messi-Musiala' starring at U21 Euros

England Under-21s volition travel up against a pugnacious situation successful their European Championship defence erstwhile they look Germany - and the tournament's apical scorer Nick Woltemade - connected Wednesday (20:00 BST).

The 23-year-old Stuttgart forward, who is 6ft 6in (1.98m) and precocious became a elder international, has scored 4 goals successful 2 games successful Slovakia.

And helium is being linked to galore Premier League clubs aft his breakthrough play successful the Bundesliga.

England volition scope the quarter-finals if they debar decision by Germany, oregon if Slovenia bash not bushed the Czech Republic.

"It wouldn't beryllium optimal scouting if a nine didn't person that [his scoring run] connected their radar close now," Woltemade precocious told Bild of Chelsea links., external

"I'm not reasoning astir my aboriginal close now. I'm present with the under-21 nationalist team, I'm having a batch of amusive and I conscionable scored 3 goals."

Woltemade was adjacent called a "two metre Messi-Musiala" by nine skipper Atakan Karazor in an interrogation successful February., external

He said: "He tin power the ball, but astatine the aforesaid clip helium tin besides dribble similar a 1.6 metre dribbler. He's a subordinate who is 2 metres gangly but helium has method similar Messi."

Woltemade has enjoyed a fewer landmark moments successful the past month.

On 24 May, helium scored successful the German Cup final arsenic Stuttgart bushed Arminia Bielefeld to triumph his archetypal trophy.

Then helium started some Nations League games for Germany - against Portugal and France - for his archetypal 2 elder caps.

And now, days later, helium is playing astatine the European Under-21 Championship arsenic 1 of the tournament's oldest players. He netted a hat-trick successful the 3-0 triumph implicit Slovenia earlier scoring again, and assisting two, successful the 4-2 triumph implicit the the Czech Republic.

He volition anticipation to proceed that scoring tally against Lee Carsley's England successful Nitra.

The Germans are already done to the knockout stages but England request a constituent to articulation them.

Woltemade started his vocation with Werder Bremen, coming done their younker teams, but had lone scored 2 goals successful 51 games.

He spent the 2022-23 play connected indebtedness successful the 3rd tier with Elversberg.

But the striker rejected the connection of a caller Bremen declaration past summertime earlier a free-transfer determination to Stuttgart.

His clip determination started dilatory - and helium was not named successful their Champions League squad - but helium has go a prolific goalscorer.

He has bagged 17 goals successful 33 games (22 starts) for the Bundesliga broadside - including successful each of his past 4 matches.

Woltemade was named newcomer of the play by the VDV, the German nonrecreational footballers' union, contempt having already played 41 Bundesliga games for Bremen.

That signifier has seen him astir powerfully linked to Chelsea - but besides to Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Brighton and West Ham - and immoderate of the continent's apical clubs too.

Woltemade's existent nearest rival for the tournament's aureate footwear is Newcastle's William Osula.

The 21-year-old has netted 3 times successful 2 games for Denmark, including a treble successful a 2-1 triumph implicit the Netherlands.

Ukraine's Maksym Braharu - of Dynamo Kyiv - and Portugal's Geovany Quenda are the lone 2 different players to nett twice.

Sporting winger Quenda, 18, volition articulation Chelsea successful a year's clip successful a £40m move.