Niklas Wessels

Wessels came through SC Blau-Weiß 94 Papenburg before moving into SV Meppen's youth set-up, the JLZ Emsland, in 2017, working his way through the club's U15, U17 and U19 sides with brief training spells at Werder Bremen, VfL Wolfsburg and FC Groningen along the way.

He was promoted to the Meppen senior squad in July 2023 and made his professional debut that same month, in a Regionalliga Nord fixture away at SV Drochtersen/Assel, which Meppen won 1-0. The occasion turned into a setback rather than a launchpad: after 60 minutes on the pitch, Wessels suffered a broken tibia. He worked his way back from the injury and has since become a regular starter for the club.

The recovery was rewarded off the pitch too. In January 2025, Wessels signed a contract extension at SV Meppen running until June 2027, a vote of confidence from a club that had seen his first taste of senior football cut short within the hour. He has also drawn recognition at second-team level, picked out with a 100% MVP rating for SV Meppen II in the Oberliga Niedersachsen.

Wessels has yet to add international youth caps to his record, with his development so far built entirely around Meppen's own pathway from academy to first team.