Moukoko praises Terzic and confirms contact with Flick
Talk of Youssoufa Moukoko making it onto Hansi Flick's World Cup squad is only likely to increase after the 17-year-old bagged a brace in Borussia Dortmund's 4-0 win over regional rivals VfL Bochum on Saturday.
During his post-match comments, the German phenom credited his tight relationship with BVB trainer Edin Terzic and confirmed that he had been in contact with Flick last week.
After a sorely disappointing hard-luck injury season last year, teenage phenom Youssoufa Moukoko is back living up to the potential so many had been eager to see from him for so long. A brace against VfL Bochum brought the 17-year-old up to a total of eight league goals in the season. He's netted a total of 11 tallies in his young Bundesliga career; a record for a Bundesliga player under 18-years-of-age.
During his post-match comments, the German phenom credited his tight relationship with BVB trainer Edin Terzic and confirmed that he had been in contact with Flick last week.
Already the youngest goal-scorer in Bundesliga history, Moukoko may have a chance to add to his repertoire of records if German national team trainer Hansi Flick opts to call him up to the senior side for the first time. With Timo Werner ruled out for the coming World Cup, there's certainly an opening for the Germany U21 international.
Moukoko confirmed that he had been in contact with Flick during his post-match interview.
"He [Flick] said that I should just carry on like this," Moukoko stated, "[He said] they are watching everything and in the end those who perform will be there."
"I can't influence it," the youngster added, "I can only bring my performance. In the end, the national coach will decide. On Thursday [the day Flick is expected to announce the squad], we will see who is in."
Elated at his brace and chance to celebrate what he referred to as a "pleasing derby victory", Moukoko praised current BVB head-coach Edin Terzic for believing in him. The teenage talent always had fond words for the player that Terzic made him into, even when Marco Rose was in charge of die Schwarzgelben last year.
According to Moukoko, Terzic was directly responsible for his second goal; a cheeky loft over VfL Bochum keeper Manuel Riemann.
"I received a tip from Edin around the 25th minute that he [Riemann] is always off his line," Moukoko noted "That's why I held my head up for a moment tried it with my right foot And then it was in."
"This year I've just become more stable and gained more confidence," he continued, " Edin also gives me confidence and talks to me a lot. We also work a lot outside with videos where he shows me what I can do better."
"In the end, you see that on the pitch," he concluded, "I have the trust of Edin. It was a great goal. What can I say? Training, training, training and then something like this happens."