- Moses Wu tried himself against Premier League academy teams in England before now moving to German football club Oberneuland
- The 17-year-old hopes to play in the Champions League, but says the dream is not yet ‘realistic’
Moses Wu with trainer James Nortey (R) during his return to Hong Kong. Photo: HandoutHong Kong teenage midfielder Moses Wu is banking on his move to German football club Oberneuland to help him follow in the footsteps of new Hong Kong national team striker Michael Udebuluzor.
Wu made his debut for Hong Kong under-18s in August, against a visiting Manchester United youth side, before opting to join Bremen-based, fifth-tier team Oberneuland
The aim behind his move to Germany was to accelerate his development among the “speed and physicality” of men’s football.
19-year-old and striker Michael Udebuluzor, who is two years his senior also attended Kowloon’s Christian Alliance International School like Wu. Udebuluzor, who moved to Germany five years ago and plays for third-division club Ingolstadt 04, has scored twice in three Hong Kong appearances.
“Michael was the best player in school. I always looked up to him and paid attention to his game, and I still do,” said Wu, who turns 18 in a few weeks.
“Representing my country for the under-18s, in front of a few thousand fans, was an important step for me.
“The national team coaches are monitoring my progress in Germany. They have asked me to send my match footage, and I want to eventually break into the senior team.”
Wu first left home in 2018 to pursue his European dream, initially intending to settle in Germany until visa issues disrupted his plans.
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Just 13 at the time, he promptly relocated to England to study at Brooke House Football Academy, where a diet of regular training was wedded to games against high-calibre teams, including academies from Leicester City and West Ham United.
“I could compete technically with those players, but it was a completely different level from Hong Kong – the standard and physicality were much tougher,” Wu said. “My mentality grew stronger, and I improved every part of my game.
“Leaving home was hard, at first, but I can handle myself, and I am independent. I was so motivated to play at the highest level, and I never regretted going.”
After 18 months in England, Wu, seeking “more progression and exposure” still had his heart set on Germany. But during the coronavirus pandemic, further visa troubles forced his return to Hong Kong, where he trained daily with personal mentor James Nortey.
Returning to England to sit his GCSE exams, he “buzzed around” playing for different teams.
Before settling on Oberneuland, Wu had several trials with clubs in Berlin and Bremen with many suitors drawn to his “technical ability, passing accuracy and the ability to handle the ball under pressure”.
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Wu played his first game in a 3-1 victory at TuRa Bremen in Germany last month, and is growing increasingly “comfortable on the pitch” with forming “chemistry” with teammates.
The player’s short-term goal is to play regularly during games.
“Then, if I do well, I could go to a bigger club, either in the winter transfer window, or next summer,” Wu said. “I have to target incremental steps, moving up one division, then another, until I reach the Bundesliga.”
Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany which is at the top of the country’s football league system.
“I want to play in the Champions League and with the best players in the world, but that is not realistic for me, right now. I am confident in my quality; I need to focus on my goals and remain patient.”