Promising Wolfsburg midfielder Junior Malanda dies in car crash aged 20

Promising young Wolfsburg and Belgium midfielder Junior Malanda has been killed in a car crash, German police say.

The 20-year-old was reportedly a passenger in a Volkswagen Touareg that came off the motorway and crashed into a tree near Bielefeld in western Germany.

The driver and another passenger were seriously injured in the accident while Malanda was killed instantly, according to German newspaper Bild.

He was due to meet up with teammates for Wolfburg's winter training camp in South Africa.

After news of Malanda's death broke, Everton striker Romelu Lukaku tweeted: "I love my brother".

Teammate and former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne said he had "lost a great friend way too early".

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, ex-Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner and Bayern Munich star Mario Gotze were also among those paying tribute.

Malanda joined Wolfsburg in 2013 and had a spell on loan at Zulte Waregem.

He had played 10 times this season, scoring two goals, as Wolfsburg climbed to second in the Bundesliga table.

The Belgium Under-21 player had previously been linked to Premier League sides Crystal Palace and Fulham.