After a frustrating stint in Germany, the Leverkusen loanee is thriving in the Eredivisie, securing a dramatic late equalizer to maintain his perfect scoring record for Utrecht.
Artem Stepanov did not need long to remind everyone why Bayer Leverkusen remains interested in his development.
The 22-year-old striker has scored in each of his first four appearances for FC Utrecht this season, with his latest goal arriving in the most dramatic circumstances yet. Deep into the 90th minute against Go Ahead Eagles, Stepanov stepped up from the penalty spot and calmly converted to make it 3-3.
It was a fitting moment for a player whose situation has changed considerably over the past year.
The match itself had already been anything but ordinary. Utrecht's meeting with Go Ahead Eagles was abandoned after 64 minutes on Saturday, after fireworks and cups were thrown onto the pitch by supporters. Three days later, the teams returned to finish what they had started.
Stepanov was still waiting for his moment. When it came, he did not hesitate.
The penalty was not particularly spectacular, but it mattered. More importantly, it continued a remarkable start to the season: four appearances, four goals.
For Leverkusen, that is a development worth watching.
A very different situation from Nürnberg
Stepanov's progress has not followed a straight line.
His previous loan spell at 1. FC Nürnberg, proved difficult. The striker struggled to establish himself and found regular playing time hard to come by. After six months, the agreement was terminated.
Utrecht has been a different story.
Stepanov joined the Dutch club in January and quickly became a regular starter. What was initially planned as a six-month loan was extended in April, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027.
Even a change of coach over the summer has not altered his position.
That continuity may prove just as important as the goals themselves.
For a young striker, there is an obvious difference between developing in an environment where he is trusted to play every week and moving from one club to another without any certainty over his role. At Utrecht, Stepanov has been given responsibility, and he is beginning to repay that trust.
Four goals in four games is the clearest evidence of that.
Leverkusen have left the door open
The structure of the deal also tells its own story.
Utrecht has an option to sign Stepanov permanently for €2 million, while Leverkusen have negotiated a €4 million buy-back clause.
That arrangement gives the Dutch club a clear path to keeping a striker they believe in, while allowing Die Werkself to retain control over a player they have not necessarily written off.
For Stepanov, the immediate objective is simpler.
Keep playing. Keep scoring. Keep developing.
The four-goal run is an encouraging start, but it is still only a start. The real test will come when the goals inevitably become harder to find and opponents begin to pay closer attention to him.
That is when the broader development of his game will matter.
For now, though, the contrast with his time in Nürnberg is striking. There, Stepanov struggled to find his place. At Utrecht, he has a defined role and the confidence that comes with regular football.
And the goals are coming with it.
Four games into the new season, Artem Stepanov has four goals.
After a difficult chapter in his development, he finally appears to have found the kind of environment where he can move forward.
