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presents... 20152015 FOREWORDandrew gibney for every star, there was an and a Maxime Bourgeois. Interesting that there are a number of players from the first edition - Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Lenny Nangis - who also appear this year. Some players can blossom early; some can make it later, with players even waiting till their mid-twenties before really showing what they are capable of.

Youth football is a wonderful thing. You have coaches trying to teach Now in its fourth edition, the Le50 net has been cast high and wide. discipline while harnessing the different attributes of their squad. Players, Players are voted in via a panel of some trusted and respected Ligue no matter the age, want to win. You can’t tell them about development and 1 writers and experts…the hope is we will get fewer and fewer wrong. progression, they just want to score goals and pick up points. It is organic, Luckily, you won’t be able to tell for a few seasons yet. so unpredictable yet so rewarding. The country is packed with talented young players and it would be Whenever I am asked why I watch , youth is always the first reason I easy to fill all 50 places with names from within Ligue 1, but just as give. No other league can boast a constant conveyor belt similar to that of Leicester City did successfully with Anthony Knockaert and Riyad ’s top league. It’s easy to get bogged down in the disappointment of Mahrez, you have to delve into too. Perhaps one day both young players moving on, but you will always find another prospect picking leagues will have their own edition. up where they left off. Every year, not long after we release the 50 names I look at all those If any club encompasses that more than the others, it’s Lille. who will no longer be included in next year’s list. It becomes nostalgic, was breaking his way into ’s team when I became a fan of Les you are attached to names that you have watched learn and grow. Dogues. I remember seeing ’s debut against Nancy, and when Then around Christmas you are listing new names and you realise how he sparked a comeback 3-2 win against Auxerre in his first huge moment at exciting the next batch can be. the Stade Lille Metropole. It is no coincidence that scouts from across Europe flock to watch both Watching Lille’s second team, instantly stood out from the Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. At every level there is someone who will get you crowd, and it was a pleasure seeing him make an impact in the first team off your feet. If you are looking in the right place at the right time, you and star in this publication a few years later. may just discover what you are looking for.

Initially Le50 was just a way of collecting together the names of some of Everyone is always looking for the next big thing. In France it is the Ligue 1’s exceptional talent and having it recorded somewhere that we next Hazard or the emerging new Raphael Varane; he may not yet be rated these 50 players higher than others. in the next 100 pages, but we can guarantee that if he is, we will do our best to pick him out and tell you all about him. Back in 2012 we kicked off with 24 pages featuring Chelsea’s , Newcastle United’s Remy Cabella and Liverpool’s , but gibneyAndrew Gibney - Editor of French Football Weekly the list

Abdoulaye Doucoure Cedric Hountondji Morgan Sanson Lucas Digne Wylan Cyprien Uros Spajic Clinton N Jie Chris Philipps Georges-Kevin N’Koudou Yannick Ferreira Carrasco Lenny Nangis SoFIane Boufal Divock Origi Maxime Dupe Jean-Philippe Gbamin Alassane Plea Fabinho Valentin Lavigne Diego Rolan Alexy Bosetti Sanjin Prcic Raphael Guerreiro Arnaud Lusamba Jean-Christophe Bahebeck Thomas Toure Allan Saint-Maximin Benjamin Bourigeaud Tiemoue50 Bakayoko le all players were born on or after 01.01.1993 abdoulayedoucoure

Sidelined until the very last game of 2013, Doucoure came back strongly and contributed six goals and two assists in Rennes’ Club: stade rennais relegation fight, earning an increasing amount of game time in the process. Such a response to a relapse of such a serious injury Position: midfield is testimony to his incredible strength of character.

DOB: 01.01.93 “He has an excellent attitude and that’s something which, as a coach, you always appreciate,” Rennes current head coach Nat: french confirmed. “He often does the right thing and will grow in terms of his efficiency. Regarding his volume of Capped: france U21 play, he can do no more because his contribution is already huge. In terms of kilometres he runs, he is approaching Champions League level.” However, there was one reservation: “There is still room for improvement in terms of his technique and finishing.”

Certainly, for a player who so frequently gets into useful scoring positions, his contribution has been a little disappointing to this point in his career, particularly when it is taken into account how well he has combined with Ntep. Going into the last quarter of the current campaign, Doucoure had provided five decisive passes – all of which resulted in the winger scoring.

While Paul-Georges Ntep gathers much of the limelight as the rising star of Rennes, he has “We have rediscovered our affinity,” Ntep admitted after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 a partner in crime well worthy of mention in the form of Abdoulaye Doucoure. His powerful victory against Metz, which came after he had been sidelined for several weeks. “I know presence in the centre of the field gives the Breton side a formidable forward thrust. where to place myself when Abdoulaye has the ball and we are on a counter-attack.”

Having inherited some of the explosiveness and power that allowed cousin Ladji Doucoure Comparisons have been drawn with Manchester City Yaya Toure, and while the to become a 110-metre hurdles world champion in 2005, the 22-year-old is also renowned Ivory Coast star undoubtedly resides at a higher echelon than Doucoure currently, there are for his tireless performances. These attributes have helped to define the embryonic career certainly strong echoes of the former man’s game in his. of the box-to-box midfielder. It is from the wily Etienne Didot that he has drawn inspiration closer to home. Now with Born in Île-de-France, Doucoure has featured for Rennes at various levels since 2007, Toulouse, the 31-year-old spent over a decade at Rennes when Doucoure was developing, when he signed for them as a 14-year-old. Four years later, despite missing the bulk of one and his positional sense in a deep midfield role is something that his successor has tried to campaign due to a ruptured tendon in his knee, he would pen his first professional contract, learn from. and debuted for the first team in 2013. “I try to make the team more solid by helping win the ball, and then when we have the ball Doucoure made an immediate impression by turning in a sterling display in a 2-0 win over I look to get forward and get into positions from where I can score goals and set them up,” Brest. Not only did he score the opening goal, he was also named the game’s outstanding Doucoure said last year. player. It was a vibrant curtain-raiser to his life as a professional and after a couple of strong displays subsequently he was in a prime position to establish himself in then coach Frederic Such attributes have reportedly caught the eye of Chelsea, and even if overlooked by the Antonetti’s plans. That was until his knee gave out again three quarters of the way through a Blues, a big future surely awaits the France under-21 international – assuming he can stay match against Ajaccio. healthy. doucoure Florianthauvin

On the other hand, when Marseille slow down, and results fluctuate, so does Thauvin’s performance. Aside from a solitary Club: (but beautifully struck) goal in the derby with , Thauvin has failed to score or create a goal in 2015. In an unremarkable first Position: forward three months of the year for OM, the 22-year-old has already been booed off the field by his home crowd. DOB: 26.01.93 Despite underachieving at times, there have been moments Nat: french when Thauvin has shown just what he is capable of for Les Phocéens. Against in November, the winger had probably Capped: france U21 his best game of the season, scoring one and setting up the second in a 2-0 win. The first showed great imagination and invention as he converted a Payet cross with the outside of his right foot. Then it was his left foot that swung in a free-kick, met by the head of . Just two occasions, but a glimpse of how busy and influential he can be when in the right mood.

Thauvin has the ability to terrorise his opponents with superb pace, and scintillating ability. With a tendency to drift in from the wing, he is capable of so much more than he has shown this season. Whether he can deliver – and consistently – remains the major talking point of his fledgling OM career. The name Florian Thauvin is now well associated with French football, having been on the radar for the best part of two years, but the 22-year-old is somehow struggling to find the It is his decision-making that often lets him down. He has not yet mastered the ability major breakthrough he needs to become a household name. to work through a crisis with calm composure. Instead, if the team is not winning, and a solution is yet to be found, Thauvin is often seen attempting to take on defenders on his On the face of it, Thauvin’s career over the past two seasons has followed a smooth upward own, or launch a strike from a long way out. It is these unfavourable traits which have led to trajectory. Press coverage - and there has been a lot - of Thauvin over the last two seasons scathing criticism from an impatient Marseillais crowd. has documented the rise and rise of the player. From excelling in Corsica with Bastia, and then earning the acrimonious €15m move from Lille to Marseille, much has been made But if Thauvin has one supporter, crucially, it is coach . The Argentine boss of the winger’s undoubted potential and talent. However in 2015, with time continuing to regularly reiterates his admiring view of his young protege as among the best young players press, Thauvin remains at a crossroads as to where his career will take him. in the world. It is a ringing endorsement in the eyes of many, and Thauvin has the tools to engineer himself as Marseille’s key player in a frantically exciting title race. Thauvin’s ability has never been in question. Complementing OM’s fast attacking style, and slotting in well with creative team-mates and Andre Ayew, he is capable of But what of the next 12-16 months? As France gears up to host the 2016 European producing stunning moments, helping OM push up the table and gaining valuable points. Championships and OM look to win a return to the Champions League, it is up to Thauvin to cut out the key errors in his game that have plagued him to date, and begin to earn the But a closer look at Thauvin’s statistics highlights an interesting correlation. When the team plaudits and a place in the national team. Already being upstaged by the emerging Nabil plays well, he tends to play well; when the team doesn’t, Thauvin is often well off the pace. Fekir of Lyon, Thauvin will be hoping to emulate his opponent sooner rather than later. All but one of his goals and assists (five and three at the time of writing), have come during the first half of the 2014/15 season, at a time when Marcelo Bielsa’s side were playing irresistible football. When the team is roaring, Thauvin is able to surf on the wave created by Payet,thauvin Gignac et al and make a contribution. urosspajic

Whilst his form remained constant if unspectacular at times, Spajic was clearly Toulouse’s best player over the festive period, Club: Toulouse fc and well into January.

Position: defence During the 3-0 defeat to Lyon, he was one of the best players on the pitch, but his defensive prowess and penchant for strong DOB: 13.02.93 tackling were not enough, as his side eventually succumbed to the title challengers. Nat: serbian His stirring form enabled his side to recover briefly with two Capped: U21 draws and victory over Rennes, as the onus fell increasingly on Spajic to tighten the defence and keep the team clear of a relegation dogfight. However, that could only go so far, as he could only do so much, and the side capitulated disastrously to Marseille (1-6), followed by the shock 1-0 defeat to relegation candidates Lens which sealed Casanova’s exit fate.

As Toulouse continued to slide towards Ligue 2, it was hard to analyse the defensive performances without questioning Spajic’s ability. However, in a poor campaign, the Serbian has continued to try to do his best, and he should end the season with his reputation enhanced, despite his team’s travails. Spajic, who only turned 22 in February, had only seen Toulouse as a stepping stone to bigger and better things either in France or elsewhere, and Uros Spajic is a man at a crossroads. Following his summer move to Toulouse in 2013 from he should earn a summer move regardless of whether or not the side from the Pink City in his Serbian homeland, the 22-year-old enjoyed a solid first season in remains in Ligue 1. the Pink City, everything was in place to build and grow going into the 2014/15 campaign. His greatest assets remain his unerring focus and concentration to get the job done, to read On an individual level, Spajic’s objectives would have been to further progress with Le aerial balls well, and to anticipate when to intercept the opposition’s attacking ventures. Téfécé and break into the national team. Although the centre-back has exceeded those With Toulouse’s goalkeeping woes well documented, as and personal goals, it hasn’t helped Toulouse’s alarming slide into mediocrity. fail to set the world alight, Spajic’s impressive displays often go unnoticed as his hard work is undone by the mistakes of others. Just over two months out with injury curtailed a positive start to the season for Spajic, which included a win over Lyon in August. It would take until November for the young However, Spajic’s next 12 months are crucial in order to solidify what he has built in a defender to return to competitive action, but by then, the malaise had already set in around largely successful two years in French football. The temptation will be to up sticks and build the Stadium Municipal. a career in a new country, but moving up the Ligue 1 table could be an excellent next step. Unfortunately, teams like Montpellier, Rennes and Bordeaux wouldn’t be able to match Toulouse’s downward spiral had commenced in his absence, but Spajic’s initial return was Toulouse’s asking price. met with a stirring response by the team and fans alike as Toulouse ran out winners against Metz and Nantes, whilst also securing a draw against Guingamp. With Casanova no longer at the helm, Spajic will hope that Dominique Arribage can inspire the side up the table. As it stands, nobody’s future is assured. Sense would dictate that TFC’s beleaguered boss linked the renewed solidity of his defence with the Spajic has done enough, regardless of Toulouse’s plight, to continue his personal progress return of Spajic, such was his rising opinion of the Serb. If Spajic played well, so did the somewhere else next season. team.spajic But that correlation would come into question over the turn of the year. tiagoilori

had to wait until the fifth game to make his Girondins debut, but the Hampstead-born defender followed that up with a back- Club: girondins de bordeaux post header to secure a 1-1 draw away at Saint-Etienne the next week. Position: defence Sadly, in October, Ilori lasted less than half an hour in Bordeaux’s DOB: 26.02.93 1-0 loss at Reims, coming off with a muscle injury that would keep him out for over two months. Nat: portuguese Ligue 1 is one of the most physical leagues in Europe and Ilori Capped: U21 has certainly experienced the rougher side of the campaign. It is the ideal training ground for players who want to play in England, and it will come as a concern that his body has struggled.

Ilori has played almost exclusively as the right-sided central defender, aside from one rogue appearance at left-back during a clash away at Lille. Frustratingly, when he has been able to play, Ilori has has fared well. Tall and relatively slim, unlike most other Ligue 1 defenders he doesn’t rely on brute strength. His style is more cerebral, calling upon his vision and ability to read the game in order to win the ball before he has to rely on a physical battle.

In his first job as a club head coach, was quick to make numerous changes to The defender has shown good pace along the ground, plus excellent technical ability when the Girondins de Bordeaux side this summer. One of his moves was to bring Portuguese he has stepped out of defence. In Sagnol’s back four, Ilori has often been the one to play the defender Tiago Ilori in on loan from Premier League side Liverpool, but it has been a move ball out from the back and is definitely comfortable in possession. that has frustrated more than it has excited. While Ilori clearly has an abundance of talent, it is impossible for Bordeaux to rely on the In his second loan spell from the English club, the former Sporting Lisbon youngster has loanee and Sagnol has admitted this is a problem over the course of the season. There shown enough in the 10 games that he has played in the league to illustrate why Sagnol is a chance that he may go back to Liverpool, leave his injury troubles behind him and wanted him at the club. However, the fact that he has yet to play four consecutive games in eventually partner French international Mamadou Sakho in the defence, but at his Ligue 1 gives an indication of the type of season Ilori has had to endure. current level, that is more of a hope than a possibility.

Ilori is something of a curiosity to supporters of parent club Liverpool. The 22-year-old is yet Had the youngster been fully fit all season, he would no doubt have played a key role, to feature in a senior match for ’ side and only appeared intermittently on especially with the Africa Cup of Nations affecting Sagnol’s squad more than most in loan at outfit Granada CF last year. France’s top-flight. Ilori was limited to just two Coupe de France appearances in January, however, and it was not until February that he really stepped up his recovery. There is a reason for that. Ilori is frustratingly injury-prone and often sits out large chunks of the season, with his time at formative club Sporting Clube de Portugal no exception. The The defender’s injuries are not likely to just go away but perhaps if managed intelligently sad fact in Ilori’s young career is that the defender is actually on course to make a record by Liverpool, they might be able to get the best out of him on a more consistent basis. If number of league appearances this campaign. His previous best was 11 with Sporting, someone can find a way to keep Ilori on the pitch, there is a good chance they can benefit which was the only time he has hit double figures in three seasons of senior football. from an excellent young defender. His timeilori in France didn’t get off to the best start and the Portuguese under-21 international alphonseareola

His first apprenticeship, ironically, would come working under former PSG boss Antoine Kombouare. The French coach has a Club: good reputation for guiding young players, making it the ideal first step. Position: goalkeeper Although Lens were strong favourites to win the division, they DOB: 27.02.93 were nowhere near as dominant as expected and during sub- standard performances by the defence, Areola was called upon Nat: french to save them on numerous occasions. Given the chance to play regularly Areola showed all the attributes that confirmed why he Capped: france U21 is so highly regarded. Outstanding reflexes, great shot-stopping and imperious in one-on-one situations, combined with good technical skills on the ball and amazing agility. He looks to have the whole package. All too often it looked like the opposition was certain to score, but Areola would defy the odds and pull out a wonderful stop. Some argued that the poorer finishing in Ligue 2 aided him when at Lens, but it’s been exactly the same in the top flight with Bastia. Areola is a very quick-thinking player; with his great reflexes he is such an instinctive keeper, and this is a key weapon.

Although this young custodian has only ever featured twice for Saint-Germain. As with any young ‘keeper, there are some chinks in his armour. Dealing with crosses can Alphonse Areola has to be considered one of their best up and coming talents. After sometimes be a problematic area, in addition to occasional poor communication with the catching the eye in two loan spells, the Under-20 World Cup winner will still have hopes of defence. Areola instinctively likes to come out and collect most crosses, or punch them becoming the number one goalkeeper in Paris, but he may have to continue to bide his time away, but at times he can be too aggressive when it might be a better option to stay on his elsewhere. line. He has been known to completely miss the ball on a few occasions, although the signs this season are that he has improved in this department. First of those loan spells was at RC Lens, whom he helped to gain promotion last year with a superb season. This campaign he has made the step up to Ligue 1 and is a huge reason for French football has always been blessed with great goalkeepers and Areola is definitely Bastia’s impressive defensive displays. another one of those on the current production line. There are a number of other young keepers jostling for position, but he looks to be the best of the bunch right now. Whether Areola was arguably Lens’ best player last season, and up until Christmas of this campaign or not his long-term future lies at PSG remains to be seen. But if they were to suddenly get he was one of the few Bastia players who could hold their head up high, producing a rid of , then this man is maybe only a season or two away from having the number of key saves time and time again. He’s only just turned 22, which in goalkeeping necessary qualities required to start for them. He has the potential to become a brilliant terms is very young. He’s a number of years off his prime, but the signs are that he could custodian and his career is well worth watching. become a very special goalkeeper in the future.

After the occasional bench appearance for PSG, Areola finally earned himself a couple of starts at the back end of the 2012/13 season. However, it was clear he needed regular starting experience to develop, something he was never going to get in the capital. Salvatore Sirigu has been the undisputed first-choice since he joined from Palermo, so there was no pointareola in the stopper with Filipino heritage continuing to spend time on the bench. jordanveretout

Veretout has handled this season’s increased responsibility with great maturity. By January, the Frenchman had bettered last Club: season’s goal and assist tallies, and his disciplinary record is more impressive too. His status as the team’s designated penalty and Position: midfield set-piece taker reflects his seniority, despite his young age, not to mention his composure and ability to deliver an excellent cross DOB: 01.03.93 or pass.

Nat: french Veretout has all the attributes that one would expect in a modern midfielder. He has the engine to be a true box-to-box Capped: france U21 midfielder, shielding his defence in one minute and supporting his attack in the next. He has the vision and passing ability to create chances for his forwards. And he has the sense of timing and the calmness in front of goal to appear to finish off team moves himself. However, this versatility appears to be taken for granted by Der Zakarian. This season alone, Veretout has already featured in a wide range of midfield positions, as well as an an auxiliary striker, which says as much about the player’s all-round ability as it does Nantes’ desperation for attacking options. Although accomplished in the box-to-box role, he is at his best in the attacking midfield role, normally as part of a 4-2-3-1 formation. After last season’s star man Filip Đorđević joined Lazio on a free transfer last summer, FC Nantes were forced to look within for a replacement for the Serb’s nine goals because of a The majority of Veretout’s goals and assists have come from this position, yet Der Zakarian transfer embargo that will not allow them to make any move on the market until this June. continues to move him around. He is at his least effective when given defensive tasks to take care of, but still does not fail to get stuck in. When looking for someone to step up to the plate in les Canaris’ squad, midfielder Jordan Veretout was probably not among the first names that crossed ’s mind. As was the case last term, the second half of Nantes’ season has tailed off somewhat after However, it is the former France under-21 international who leads the Nantes goalscoring a promising opening, and Veretout’s form has also taken a hit in early 2015. However, this charts, pitching in with six Ligue 1 goals to date from midfield. might be to the Pays de la Loire outfit’s advantage come this summer. Had his excellent form over the first half of the season continued, Der Zakarian was probably looking at losing one Now 22, the all-action midfielder has already passed 100 league appearances for the eight- of his star men just as the transfer embargo was finally lifted. time French champions. His spirit, technique and unflappable character have made him the talisman of this Nantes side in just his second season of Ligue 1 football. However, if Veretout continues to struggle under the unrealistic weight of expectation placed on him to be Nantes’ jack of all trades and master of all, there will be less interest Veretout was tipped for a future call-up to the French senior side. That has not happened for Nantes to fend off. If that were to happen, then another season or two at the Stade de la yet and the Under-20 World Cup winner has now stopped serving les Bleuets, but this Beaujoire would not be the worst thing for his development. campaign has still been one of progress for the Nantes number 25. He is edging towards the radar of – someone else who made his breakthrough at the – but faces immense competition to get there and first needs to develop even veretoutfurther. maximedupe

On his return to Ligue 1 action, with Riou out, Dupe would make his debut in Week 25 against Nice, and in the cavernous Allianz Club: FC NANTES Riviera the young goalkeeper would hold strong and record his first clean sheet in his first-ever professional match in the league. Position: goalkeeper A double from James Rodriguez against Monaco would end his run of two clean sheets, but he would notch a third against DOB: 04.03.93 Guingamp before the season’s end.

Nat: french It seems slightly harsh to be judging a goalkeeper after just ten league games, but that is a testament to what Dupe brings. He unCapped is very quick off his line and has shown superb reflexes to make very agile and responsive saves. Goalkeepers have a longer career than most and Dupe knows that, saying after he was called up to the France under-21 squad that “I did not expect to play with Nantes in Ligue 1 as fast. I think I have shown good things in my appearances.”

Dupe played the opening six games of the current season; he conceded five goals but was immense between the sticks as Nantes recorded wins against Lens, Montpellier and Nice. Although he conceded twice, he was in goal as Nantes upset the odds to beat Lyon 3-2 in the Coupe de France. Picking up clean sheets away from home and delivering in front of the Beaujoire will both go a long way towards shaping his future. Sometimes unfortunate situations can reveal positive solutions to problems you didn’t know you had, and FC Nantes’ current transfer embargo has helped unearth a few young Now that he has shone in front of the Brigade Loire, he knows he is no longer just a kid from talented players who could go on to have a big future at the club. After suffering an injury, Morbihan, but that small town mentality helps keep him grounded: “I have not noticed a big Les Canaris started the season without No.1 goalkeeper Rémy Riou. Unable to sign anyone change. At home, I am greeted as a normal man. I am not the Nantes goalkeeper.” new, even on loan, Michel Der Zakarian was left with no alternative but to go with 21-year- old shot-stopper Maxime Dupe. Perhaps a little bit of arrogance wouldn’t be so bad for the young man. To improve further he needs to show more of a presence, become more vocal and show a command of his After showing signs of promise at the end of last season, Dupe was thrown in at the deep area. He still thinks of himself as Riou’s understudy, but he knows that when he gets the end, but the Armenian coach couldn’t have asked for a better start and it has given the chance to shine, his performances need to instil an element of doubt in Der Zakarian’s mind. passionate Nantes fans a window into their encouraging future. Only then will he seize the chance to become their long-term option.

Born in the small Breton town of Malestroit, the young goalkeeper has played all of his Last season saw the retirement of Mickael Landreau. The former Nantes goalkeeper finished career in western France. His early career began at Vannes OC, before spending five years in his career with the most appearances in Ligue 1 history. After 10 seasons as a Canari he left the Nantes youth academy. He did not turn pro until he was 20 years old, with progress in huge gloves to fill, but now with Maxime Dupe, the Stade Beaujoire may just have found his career being slow and steady, rather than spectacular. a future number one who could possibly emulate one of French football’s greatest ever goalkeepers. Before Dupe had the chance to play in front of his home crowd, he would travel to Turkey with the France under-20 side that lifted the World Cup in the summer of 2013. He didn’t play a single minute of the tournament, having to make do with watching Alphonse Areola makedupe some heroic saves as France beat Uruguay in the final on penalties. alassaneplea

It is through the middle where he is at his best, but playing in a Nice team with no experienced striker makes him the focal point Club: now that Cvitanich has gone. That move has put a lot of pressure on the young man’s shoulders in his first full season of Ligue 1 Position: forward action, and he was not ready for it.

DOB: 10.03.93 Although his spell at Auxerre was far from prolific, this season it took Pléa until January to equal last season’s total at the Nat: french Abbé-Deschamps. However, the man from Lille is crying out for an attacking partner at the . He provides almost uncapped double the amount of goals he scores and is better in the role of maker rather than taker.

The short-lived signing of back in January would not have solved Pléa’s problem, but would at least have given him someone else with whom to share the burden. Puel’s team is not short of talent, but there is little consistency there and that is largely down to the fact that this is a very young and inexperienced squad with a few exceptions.

“He is a player who needs space in order to truly express himself,” Puel told Nice’s official website about Pléa earlier this season. “He can can play in a number of roles, out wide or Since taking over at OGC Nice in 2012, coach Claude Puel has developed some gems and up top. When played either side, he finds it more difficult and he expresses himself better in the latest to shine at the Allianz Riviera could be versatile attacker Alassane Pléa. Snapped the middle. He has all of the qualities necessary to impose himself at this level. He is young up from Ligue 1 rivals last summer after a disappointing loan spell with and has plenty of room to grow. He listens, is simple and does not have a big head.” Auxerre in the second tier last term, the 22-year-old is starting to break through under the guidance of the canny former Lyon, Monaco and Lille tactician. Like teammate Carlos Eduardo, Pléa caught the eye during a spectacular 7-2 win away at Guingamp back in October and many perhaps thought that was les Aiglons spreading their After failing to feature in the first three weeks of action in Ligue 1, Pléa gradually broke into wings and expected similar performances to follow. Puel’s team has some maturing to do Puel’s plans when it quickly became obvious that Darío Cvitanich’s Week 1 heroics was not before displays like that become more common, but Pléa’s goal and pair of assists on that the sign of a long-term return to form. Cvitanich has since moved on to Pachuca in Mexico day demonstrated his impressive potential. and Pléa has been made the main man up top for les Aiglons. What he needs now, in order to develop, is a partner to share the workload. Someone he Despite seeming perfect for the role of lone striker, the Franco-Malian is deceptive. His can play off, to maximise his pace and technical ability. An experienced target man would height makes him naturally good in the air, but aerial ability is actually not his forte. Instead, be a perfect summer signing and would help Pléa to play to his strengths and maximise his Pléa excels with the ball at his feet and is more about pace and technique than physicality. potential next season.

Like former Lyon teammate , the Nice No. 14 was originally played out wide. However, he is not comfortable there and Puel only uses him sparingly out on the wing. Lacazette waited a while to develop a clinical streak and it could be that something pleasimilar will happen with Pléa. diegorolan

Uruguay’s sporting media. For his contribution in the penalty area alone, it is a conversation Rolán deserves to be a part of. Club: girondins de bordeaux Rolán’s movement and timing can be a joy to behold. Most of Position: forward his goals have stemmed from his ability to be not just in the right place at the right time, but also unmarked. Once one sees a DOB: 23.04.93 striker have so much space, so close to goal, so many times, you realise it cannot be a fluke. And what the rather lithe Rolán lacks Nat: uruguayan in power when it comes to finishing, he makes up for in accuracy, guile and intelligence. Capped: uruguay However, he is far from a goal-hanger: his technique and dribbling are solid and despite being more effective when leading the line, he is comfortable playing in an of the attacking midfield roles too.

What Rolán now needs to show is the same game intelligence he already possesses inside the box when further from goal. His passing can be unimaginative, and several Bordeaux counter-attacks have faltered this season on account of his lack of creativity when not given an obvious choice.

Bordeaux forward Diego Rolán’s career to this point is an illustrative example of just how Other failings of mentality are more troubling. His failure to take up his designated position fast things can develop, for better or worse, in the world of modern football. In just his at a corner cost Bordeaux their match at Marseille, for which Sagnol criticised Rolán publicly. second season as a professional he hit eight goals in 15 league games for Soon after, Rolán’s frustration that he had not started the match against Nantes manifested in the 2012 Apertura phase of the Campeonato Uruguayo, goals which sealed a place in itself in a bizarre bust-up on the bench with Nicolas Maurice-Belay, Rolán having ignored his Uruguay’s squad for the South American Under-20 Championship in January 2013. His team-mate’s handshake. A brief demotion to Bordeaux’s CFA side followed, although the performances and goals there removed any traces of doubt about his talent and Bordeaux, lesson did not sink in. having just sold Yoan Gouffran, made their move before the tournament was even over. His and Bordeaux’s start to 2015 was marred by another fight with a colleague in training, Alas, Rolán’s arrival in Aquitaine was not smooth. Injured minutes into his league debut, swiftly followed by an unsubtle moan on twitter about not getting more minutes away at Rolán only managed ten matches during that first half-season and had to wait 15 months Bastia. The Uruguayan now risks earning himself a reputation as a moody troublemaker. for his first goal in Bordeaux colours. Not many young strikers could overcome such a period to reach the level that Rolán has attained, and it is evidence of a hard-headedness that is But just as Rolán overcame the setbacks of his difficult first year in France to lead Bordeaux’s simultaneously the Uruguayan’s main strength and only significant weakness. scoring charts, he overcame that tricky winter and has exploded back into life this spring with key goals that have re-established Bordeaux’s push for a European place. More goals By spring 2014 Rolán was getting regular minutes on the right wing, albeit in Francis for Bordeaux and Uruguay will surely follow, and the more his attitude improves, the greater Gillot’s dire team. A strong pre-season and a change of coach later and he was ready. Rolán the number of goals one can expect. started the 2014/15 season on fire, with four goals and an assist in the first six weeks. That contribution lifted Bordeaux to the top of the table and earned Rolán a call-up to the Uruguayan national team, for whom he has started equally promisingly. With Luis Suárez banned for the forthcoming Copa America, Rolán has a massive chance to break into the firstrolan team and is already part of the “Who replaces Suárez?” conversation dominating alexybosetti

his minutes per game season on season. In a team that can struggle to score, and whose ambition is mid-table safety, he is a Club: ogc nice bright spot for the fans.

Position: forward Five goals this season is not a huge tally, but Bosetti has a habit of scoring important ones; he opened his account on the first day DOB: 23.04.93 of the season with the winner against Toulouse, charging into the area to head home from Gregoire Puel’s lobbed cross. Nat: french He also scored the winner against Metz in the dying seconds of capped: France u20 injury time by appearing out of nowhere to pounce on a lazy backpass. His opener in the 3-1 loss to Bordeaux was a fizzing long-range effort, and the second to put Nice ahead in a 3-1 win over was a diving header at the far post. Add to those a crazy scramble against Metz in the Coupe de la Ligue, where he picked up a rebound and shot from a tight angle as Nice fought their way back to parity from 3-0 down, only to go out on penalties. As if to shore up his home-grown status, all his goals this season have been scored at the Allianz Riviera.

The fans love him because he is one of them – suspended after displaying his Brigade Sud Nice tattoo when scoring in the epic 5-4 Coupe de France win at the Velodrome in 2014, Alexy Bosetti joined the Nice youth set-up at sixteen, and is in his third senior season with sitting in the stands with the away fans for the derby in Monaco when he was injured at the the club of which he is also a diehard fan. Occasionally a crashing physical presence in end of that season. attack, the next few seasons will be key to seeing if he can make good on his potential; the reservation is that in his third season, he is still ‘occasional’, not establishing himself to the Arguably this fierce loyalty to his club could be a detriment to his career, if he prioritises it same degree that some of the other young talented forwards have done in that time. over his own development; but there is something to respect in the idea that we might be looking at one of those rare things nowadays: a one-club man. From six starts in 2012/13, to 13 in a 2013/14 season cut short by injury, to 11 so far, his contribution is increasing, but at a slower rate than might have been expected at the start of His career trajectory could well be that he continues to get more minutes, more goals, his senior career. becoming a regular starter; then after a peak couple of seasons, a gentle plateau, returning to being an occasional player, the veteran substitute, the valuable dressing room presence While working his way into the first team, Bosetti was also establishing himself – again for the youngsters, and then, eventually, to the stands, to sit with his fellow ultras and sing slowly – in the international set-up. He was a member of the 2013 World Cup-winning his team on. under-20 squad, but – with such a breadth of talent at this level that an entirely different squad played in the that summer – Bosetti was restricted to the role of substitute as this was Yaya Sanogo’s tournament, with Jean-Christophe Bahebeck and Florian Thauvin also ahead of him in the selection. He played for only an hour over the four games.

One gets the feeling that Bosetti may never leave Nice. With Claude Puel’s focus on developing young players in-house, plus the fact he is a former member of the main bosettisupporters group, he has not gone out on loan, but stayed, steadily but slightly increasing geoffreykondogbia

established his place in the starting lineup.

Club: AS Monaco The extra dimension that he provides to the team comes from using his positioning and strength to support Toulalan and the Position: midfield defence, then his touch and his vision to set the team on their way to what is becoming a signature counter-attack. His energy DOB: 25.04.93 and drive has helped them to quietly become a fourth horse in the title race, as well as to progress to the latter stages of the Nat: french Champions League.

Capped: france Kondogbia continues to develop his own game too, and this season he has added both goals and assists to his game, as well as becoming a more general attacking threat. While his sheer strength and his tackling ability allow him to boss the midfield area, he does still need to improve his distribution. There have been times where he has shown his energy and tenacity in getting back to rob a player of the ball only to give it away with a wayward pass. Once this skill is honed, Kondogbia really will be a complete player.

Champions League football has allowed Kondogbia to blossom in front of a wider audience. His performances in the group stage, in which Monaco conceded only one goal in six games, were strong but it was in the first leg of the knockout round away to Arsenal that The term “man mountain” is bandied around frequently but in the case of 22-year-old he really came to the attention of an international audience. His superb man of the match Geoffrey Kondogbia, it is an apt description. At 6ft 2in he cuts quite the imposing figure, performance saw him nullify the threat of Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez in whether sitting just in front of his defence or barrelling forward. Comparisons to Patrick the Arsenal midfield while also firing home a deflected opening goal. He was a rare bright Vieira – and to fellow France Under-20 World Cup winner – are to be expected light in a less impressive team display in the return leg that saw Monaco limp home, but for a player of his style and that position, but in this case, the youngster could actually go on Kondogbia had already contributed sufficiently. to emulate the legends he is compared to. It is no surprise that after such a strong season and numerous impressive performances in After starting his career in Lens, he then made a name for himself in La Liga with Sevilla the Champions League, Arsenal are sniffing around the player with a view to making a bid. before moving to Monaco as part of the Russian-backed revolution, The comparisons to Vieira would surely go into overdrive if that transfer came off. Kondogbia has made further strides forward in his game during the 2014/15 season. It is a testament to the talent of the player that despite missing over two months of the season To cap a successful 2014/15, Kondogbia was rewarded with a recall to Didier Deschamps’ due to injury, limiting his Ligue 1 appearances to only 16, he has still been a consistently French team for the friendly games at the end of March, nearly two years after his last strong performer whenever he takes the field. arguably been one of Monaco’s best players. call up, and excelled in a starting role in the 2-0 win over Denmark, setting up on goal and having a major role in the other. It is just reward for a player who has flourished under He possesses phenomenal power and energy, able to run the length of the pitch time and the tutelage of Jardim. The remainder of 2015 and the lead-up to Euro 2016 could see time again not only to provide cover for his defence but also to contribute in attack. He Kondogbia really explode onto the international scene and then, who knows, maybe future has benefitted from playing alongside the veteran Jeremy Toulalan and has learned the players will be compared to him. responsibilities required for playing in such a key and demanding position.

It took time and patience for Kondogbia to make his mark during his first season back in France.kondogbia Under Leandro Jardim, Kondogbia has taken his game to another level and has jean-christophebahebeck

and six goals across five games meant that regular watchers of PSG were clamouring for him to feature in the first team once Club: paris saint-germain the season started. When those chances came his way he picked up a handful of assists and, in matches at Toulouse and Lorient Position: forward where PSG were not merely losing but being totally outplayed, it was Bahebeck who dragged them back into contention with DOB: 01.05.93 brilliantly taken goals.

Nat: french Cue jokes about JCB digging PSG out of a hole and more questions about why he was not being used regularly. Those capped: France u21 questions were all the more poignant given that for both goals Bahebeck’s runs had been found by the same player, , indicative of a budding on-field relationship between the pair. For a team whose players so often appear to be on different wavelengths, this kind of interaction between colleagues who could potentially play together for another ten years promised much.

Bahebeck’s performances during the autumn showcased his blistering speed as well as the intelligence of his running. We also saw a level of technical proficiency in dribbling, passing, finishing and even set-piece delivery that had deserted him during his spell at Valenciennes. There are times when comparisons between Bahebeck and Alexandre Lacazette, two years Jean-Christophe Bahebeck is one of that rare breed of players at Paris Saint-Germain: he his senior, seem totally justified. actually made his breakthrough before the Qatari buyout. When talking about the next crop of young stars to make an impact in Ligue 1, it seems like the versatile forward has been Despite a new deal extending Bahebeck’s contract at PSG to 2019 and impressive around for as long as PSG – it’s easy to forget that he does not turn 22 until May. performances that make you wonder why continues to persist with Ezequiel Lavezzi, the France under-21 international’s minutes almost completely dried up over the Two years ago, he was coming to the end of a loan spell at Troyes. While there Bahebeck winter and into the spring. played well, if inconsistently, and grabbed six goals in all competitions; not enough to prevent Troyes from getting relegated, but a decent start from a personal perspective. Even then there are moments from which Bahebeck can draw encouragement: he might be playing at a club with its fair share of prima donnas, but everything about his behaviour He went off to the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey and made a strong impression, scoring a either on the field or in front of a microphone suggests that his head is screwed on the couple of goals and returning with a winner’s medal. The following season, however, was a right way. He is always trying, always working, always humble. It is this as much as his talent disaster. Sent on loan to Valenciennes, Bahebeck experienced relegation yet again, but this which suggests that he will, eventually, make it big. Sadly, like so many talents coming out of time without making any mark at all, profligate in front of goal and sloppy in his general the capital, it seems that he will have to leave to reach his goals. One can only hope that he play. picks his moment and his destination wisely.

However, just as the perfect summer could feed into a terrible season, so a terrible season could feed into the perfect summer.

Bahebeck played brilliantly at the 2014 Toulon Tournament and then, as PSG went without many regulars during pre-season, the forward saw some play-time and finally started to bahebeckshow what so many people had been expecting for so long. Excellent overall contributions nabilfekir

performance, scoring one and providing two assists. This season, Fekir has resoundingly shown that the Bastia match was not Club: olympique lyonnais merely a flash in the pan, becoming an integral member of Lyon’s young home-grown team, as they make an unlikely challenge for Position: forward the title.

DOB: 18.07.93 Forming a particularly close relationship with Alexandre Lacazette, Fekir has excelled, whether played as one of two Nat: FRENCH strikers, or in the number 10 position. Like a certain Argentinian to whom Aulas alluded, Fekir is predominantly left-footed and Capped: FRANCE uses his low centre of gravity to launch breath-taking dribbles which confound defenders. He has an excellent first touch, great control of the ball and the speed of thought and action to find solutions and execute them one step or two ahead of his opponent. His seven assists include long-range defence-splitting balls (to Lacazette against Lille) and visionary flicks (through the whole PSG defence to N’Jie). His 11 goals demonstrate that he can shoot from either foot, with strength or finesse (just ask poor Montpellier keeper Geoffrey Jourdren, who has this season been beaten by a powerful curling shot and – twice – by the same impudent chip).

Asked what kind of player he is, Fekir called himself a “provocateur”. A great description for Lyon president Jean-Michal Aulas is arguably the biggest wind-up merchant in Ligue 1. So both its positive and negative connotations: Fekir has provoked six penalties this season – when he refers to Lyon youngster Nabil Fekir as “our very own Messi”, one can be forgiven a Europe-wide high – but with a hint of simulation to several of them. There is, then, still for laughing it off as another piece of trolling. However, even at this early stage of Fekir’s room for improvement and maturing. Fekir can tend to go missing in games, either sulking career, the claim already has the potential to prove one of JMA’s more sensible outbursts. after a poor decision, or often looking lost without the support of Gourcuff and Lacazette. A more consistent decisiveness will come with experience. Born in Lyon, Fekir was given his first football at two days old by his dad, who still volunteers at Nabil’s first club, Vaulx-en-Velin, where his three brothers continue to play. His dad This rawness has perhaps manifested itself in the recent France vs controversy. After remembers that he was never seen without a ball at his feet, and that it is in the narrow only one France under-21 appearance, Fekir became embroiled in a row over which country corridors of the home that he honed his close control and dribbling skills. he would represent, torn between family roots in Algeria and his home – and the greater exposure – of France. Nabil has now chosen les Bleus after lots of wavering, and appeared The young Fekir joined Lyon for a short period at 13. He returned to Vaulx-en-Velin, then to in the recent friendlies against and Denmark. Many Algerians, including family, were another local side, Saint-Priest, for whom he starred in a match against left upset and Fekir has no doubt been badly advised throughout the media furore. Perhaps Lyon, persuading the club to re-sign him at 18 (his dad says that before Lyon returned for the episode will prove a good lesson for him in the additional burdens of top-class football. him, Saint-Etienne expressed interest but, as a born and bred Gône, he refused to meet with The hope is that the experience will not take away what his coach, , calls his them). “insouciance”.

Two successful years in the reserves earned Fekir a professional contract and, in August Fekir once said that he never would have imagined one day playing at the Gerland. Now 2013, a first-team debut as a substitute in the Champions League qualifier at . he is one of the stadium’s heroes as Lyon fight for Champions League football. If all goes A handful more games followed, but it was a match at the end of the season that first well, Fekir and Lyon may be using their new Stade des Lumières, only minutes from Vaulx- made people sit up and take notice. A week after appearing as a substitute in Lyon’s Coupe en-Velin, to host some big names; who knows, we may see “our very own Messi” come up de lafekir Ligue final defeat, Fekir started against Bastia and produced a man of the match against the original. lucasdigne

relatively tough tackler for someone so diminutive, Digne is not afraid to get stuck in and show his core defensive responsibilities Club: paris saint-germain have not been forgotten. One weakness in his game remains his concentration and positioning in defensive areas. With his Position: defence runs forward, the space he leaves behind can often be taken advantage of. He still needs to learn that a cool, calm head is DOB: 20.07.93 needed at times when under pressure but the same can be said for so many PSG players during the 2014/15 season. Nat: french The early promise he had shown with Lille and the continuation capped: France of his development with the Ligue 1 champions was rewarded in the summer of 2014 as he was picked for Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad. Digne even secured some game time with an outing in the final group game against Ecuador where he helped Les Bleus keep a clean sheet.

No one can argue with the fact that the tournament gave Digne some excellent experience, but Blanc’s insistence on picking Maxwell as his more regular left-back has somewhat stunted that expected natural progression for Digne during the ensuing Ligue 1 season. He may not have made the position his own, but in a season where PSG have been far from Spearheading a group of superb young French left-backs, Lucas Digne might not have seen perfect, he has been as dependable as anyone else. In his ongoing battle with Maxwell, it as much first-team action as he would have liked following his move to Paris Saint-Germain, is the Brazilian who is coming across as the more dependable option this season, however. but there can be no doubting he is an exciting young defender. Many would argue that his Digne will continue to play minutes in the league, but in the tougher challenges, Blanc calls progress could have been more rapid had he managed to secure the first choice spot in upon the veteran. Paris, but his battle with Maxwell looks set to continue with the veteran having recently signed a contract extension. His battle with the vastly experienced Brazilian wherein it seems neither plays more than a couple of games before being dropped, has now come at the expense of his place in the Whilst some are beginning to question whether he needs to look at a move away from the national team. capital to ensure more regular first team football and a place back in Didier Deschamps’ national set-up, it should also be said that he needs to do more to grab the opportunities There is no doubt that Digne has all the talent and attributes to be a regular first team that Laurent Blanc hands him. footballer. On the one hand Digne could view Maxwell’s contract extension as a chance to continue learning from a player who has seen and done it all. On the other, though, it could Digne’s strengths are the abilities many people expect a modern day full-back. Boundless be seen as a big kick in the teeth from the PSG hierarchy, one that seems to suggest they do energy, a willingness to push forward, and a wicked left foot capable of providing pin-point not have full faith in the youngster. crosses, the 21-year-old is a potent attacking threat. No better example of this threat was his superb cross for ’s opener against Lyon back in September 2014. From the That is this crossroad that Digne now faces. With everything he has at his disposal and Euro far left by-line he swung in a cross to find the Uruguayan striker perfectly between two Lyon 2016 on the horizon it may be that the youngster looks to take a “now or never attitude” defenders to head home. In a team full of accurate long ball specialists, Digne has shown he to his career at PSG. With Manchester City and Roma – coached by the man who gave him can mix it with the big names. Ligue 1 football, – reportedly interested, the future can still be bright for Lucas Digne. digneHowever he is also able to balance this with the traditional duties required of him. A clintonn’jie

in particular, showcased his signature move on the wing – staying on the shoulder of his defender, waiting for the ball over, before Club: olympique lyonnais spinning backwards and away from him into space.

Positon: forward He’s rapid, but his defensive contribution is weak, and he seems more productive when playing off a central striker. Of his half- DOB: 15.08.93 dozen assists, three have been to set up Lacazette, all short passes across as the two break up the pitch together. With Nat: cameroonian Lacazette back and firing, and Nabil Fekir often preferred as the second striker if they play a front two, N’Jie’s role returned Capped: Cameroon to that of substitute; after getting an assist in the 5-1 win over Montpellier at the Gerland, he was on the bench when they did it again at the Mosson. He got a half against Marseille, and started against Nice, but by late March had played 90 minutes only three times, averaging fewer than 50 minutes per appearance. This leaves him in a slightly uncertain position this season: evidently, if the league’s top scorer is fit, he will play, so the options for N’Jie to start are limited, leaving him having to grasp those chances, or when coming off the bench, with both hands. As Lyon look to keep their title push going, there will be little room for risk.

Clinton N’Jie is yet another talent to emerge from the Lyon . As with many Further ahead, however, his prospects look good – there are continuing rumours about of their hot prospects, he has been gradually eased into the team, getting a handful of Lacazette’s future, and OL are a club who sell when the money is right. This could free substitute appearances in the last two seasons before a rotation of starts and subs this up a starting role, particularly as, conversely, OL are not likely to pay big money for a season, the latter usually 20-30 minutes rather than a token amount of time. replacement. There are, naturally, other young strikers developing in the team, but he has more than twice the playing time of , , and While this is all very normal for a Lyon youngster being promoted to the first team, there put together. has been another angle to N’Jie’s development this season. As Cameroon tried to pull themselves together after a disastrous World Cup where they lost all three group games and N’Jie is in only his second senior season, and there is maybe no better place for a young scored only one goal, he was brought into the squad for Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, player to develop than Lyon. Hubert Fournier is continuing where Remi Garde left off in having only made three senior starts for his club. terms of integrating the younger players in his squad, and the financial situation means that bright lights may move on but there is little likelihood of an expensive recruit pitching up He got off to a flyer, scoring on his debut against DR Congo, and twice in his second match, and disrupting the progression of those who are already there, and showing themselves to a 4-1 trouncing of Ivory Coast, as Cameroon unexpectedly topped a very difficult qualifying be good enough. N’Jie’s record so far shows that he is, and could be, a decisive player for group. However, having started all six qualifying games and the pre-tournament preparation club and country for years to come. match, left him on the bench for the tournament proper, to the frustration of the fans, until late on in the do-or-die last group game against Ivory Coast. They lost; the cheers that greeted his entrance implied an unrealistic weight of expectation placed on such young shoulders.

On his return from the tournament, there was more expectation to bear – with Alexandre Lacazetten out injured, he started against PSG and Lorient,jie scoring in both. The Lorient game, mariolemina

adept as a or deep-lying grinder. It’s not completely unknown for him to fill in at right-back, or on the right side of Club: olympique de marseille midfield, too.

Position: midfield His forays forward have led to two goals this season, playing a huge part in Marseille’s title challenge. Down against Bordeaux, DOB: 01.09.93 it was Lemina’s header that sparked their 3-1 comeback. Then before his red card against Rennes, the midfielder finished from Nat: french close range after Guingamp goalkeeper Jonas Lossl failed to clear his lines. It is perhaps the lack of a really strong physical capped: France u21 build that prevents Lemina from being an out-and-out defensive holding player.

However he has all the other attributes to succeed in that role: great intelligence and work rate, a strong engine, and the ability to really time a tackle well.

Many would see Lemina as a street fighter. He chases a lot of balls down, harries and pressurises opponents into mistakes, and seems to possess a strong determined attitude. Until recently, it seemed he was a pretty fair player too, not known for having a nasty streak. However, in an incident against Rennes recently, he viciously punched Ola Toivonen in the groin, leading to a much-deserved ban. Many eyebrows were raised when Marseille bought Mario Lemina from Lorient at the back end of the 2013 summer . In total, OM forked out roughly £3.5m To succeed at a club like Marseille and run the midfield, one perhaps needs something of for his services, a fee which many said was too high and too much of a risk given what a nasty streak. The punch was disgraceful, but it showed he had fire in his belly, something he had previously shown. However, although Lemina had only started 10 games for the that will prove useful when better-channelled. club, he had shown enough in that short time to suggest that he was one of French football’s next crop of stars. The future for Lemina generally looks bright. It’s never easy being at a club like Marseille where there are historically plenty of issues both on and off the field. Unwanted distractions Lemina has now completed nearly two seasons with OM, and many would argue that he has can affect young players, but at the same time it’s also one of the best footballing justified the price tag and has really developed during his time at the Mediterranean giants. environments in France to showcase one’s talents. It certainly looks like he will be back During his short time at the club, he has been forced to undergo a number of changes playing European football next season, maybe even with a Ligue 1 title under his belt. around him, both on and off the field. Most notably he has been under the guidance of three different managers. The next few years should bring both mental and physical maturity to his game. He has a lot of qualities, but it’s fair to say he’s still quite raw, certainly in terms of his ultimate potential. Under Marcelo Bielsa, Lemina had played a huge role in the club’s pre-season matches, but Definitely one to follow and with the right guidance and a bit of luck, he could become an injury ruled him out from the start of the season and he didn’t make an appearance until extremely good. the fifth week. Once the Argentine boss had decided on his lineup, Lemina didn’t start a match until the beginning of November, against Lens in Week 12.

Just like Lyon’s Corentin Tolisso, the debate over Lemina’s best position only exists because of his excellent ability to adapt and show a high level of versatility. First and foremost, leminahe is probably more at home playing in the ‘box-to-box’ midfielder role, but he is equally yannickferreira carrasco

risks and more things work,” said Ferreira Carrasco. “I try to be as decisive as possible, to score goals and make assists.” Club: as monaco Of course, since being named as ’s Best Ligue 2 Position: forward Prospect of the 2012/13 season and despite striking a historic European goal for his side, it has not been all plain sailing for DOB: 14.09.93 the youngster. Last season’s policy of big signings reduced his minutes on the field dramatically, but this also came about due Nat: belgian to a tendency to overdo things individually. Erstwhile coach Claudio Ranieri was left frustrated by the winger often running Capped: belgium down blind alleys, being lazy to backtrack or failing to make decisions on a par with his technical abilities.

“He thinks too much individually,” remarked the Italian in January 2014. “Now he must think collectively. When we attack, sometimes he forgets to come back and that can’t happen. He must learn to understand that.”

Leonardo Jardim has built a counter-attacking system around the likes of Ferreira Carrasco, who has in turn responded with a more team-orientated ethic. Evidence of his natural unwillingness to defend is still in evidence, though it is not as clearly marked as it was under the Portuguese coach’s predecessor. Monaco’s transfer policy since being taken over by has attracted great criticism, yet Yannick Ferreira Carrasco lends weight to the theory that the principality outfit The 21-year-old offers lightning pace on the counter-attack and loves to exploit large gaps in can still thrive even without the big-money transfers. behind opposing defences. He is very much a modern day winger in that he prefers to play on the left, which is the supposed ‘unnatural’ side for a right-footed player, due to his desire The strength of the academy at Stade Louis II has been totally overshadowed by deals to to cut inside and get shots away at goal. His approach is thrillingly direct, though there are sign the likes of and James Rodriguez, who have come and gone – though in still some clear weaknesses. One which perhaps most needs to be addressed is a lack of Falcao’s case perhaps to return again. confidence in his left foot. He might have scored a memorable goal in the second leg against Arsenal, had he the willingness to pull the trigger when on his weaker side, but after beating That Monaco have progressed deep into Europe owes little to superstars and more to a crop three defenders he dallied, and the opportunity was lost. of exciting young players, many of whom have been shrewdly signed. Several, however, have been carefully groomed. Ferreira Carrasco is one such player, who has now been With competition for a place in the Belgium national squad currently so strong, with the enjoying life on the Mediterranean coast for several years, having been prised away from FC likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Nacer Chadli all available for Les Diables Rouges, Genk as a 16-year-old in 2010. such frailties must be eradicated if he is to become a regular in one of Europe’s most promising national set-ups. He made his senior debut coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win The Belgian is now established as one of the offensive leaders at the principality club, having over Cyprus in a Euro 2016 qualifier. debuted while they were still in Ligue 2 during the 2012/13 season. That it was he who scored the goal that ultimately eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League was a fitting It is a widely-held belief that he retains immense potential. and Portugal both courted symbol of the way in which he has grown as an individual in a team that is also beginning to the player for international football by virtue of his parentage, yet YFC knocked both back. flourish again. Having established himself at Monaco, the time is ripe to impress on a greater stage.

“Theferreira team is doing well this season, so automatically as an attacking player you take more soFIANEboufal

His excellent season sparked rumours of a move, perhaps sooner than would have been expected, but Lille were in desperate need Club: of improving their attacking armoury and saw him as a great option, both short- and long-term. Boufal is extremely versatile Position: midfield in the final third of the field and capable of playing in a number of different positions. Left-wing is probably his best spot, but DOB: 17.09.93 he can make his mark anywhere, even as a striker. He has very nimble feet, great pace, superb technique and it always feels like Nat: french he’s very balanced on the ball.

uncapped There are areas he has to work on, however. At times he seems like quite a greedy player and needs to improve on the team and vision aspect of his game. There have been a number of times when he has held on to the ball for too long, trying to do something extra-fancy when really the more efficient option would be to look for a teammate.

Another problem is that he likes to shoot too much. He just doesn’t seem like a player who has great shooting accuracy, with the exception of one or two strikes. He would be much better off finding a teammate or looking for an assist rather than wasting a potentially The main quality that has helped propel Sofiane Boufal into the top flight of French football promising position. However, as with most young wingers, that will come with time and this season is very good technique, which is one of the main reasons why Lille decided to experience; with proper guidance he will become a huge asset to Les Dogues. splash out £2.6 million for him. One other issue is lack of stamina. More often than not he struggled to last the full 90 Boufal is something of a late bloomer in terms of youth development. It took until he minutes for Angers and would burn himself out just after the hour mark. was nearly 20 years old to make his first start for Ligue 2 side Angers. He made two brief substitute appearances as a 17-year-old but it wasn’t until the 2013/14 season that he was It’s difficult to say exactly how far Boufal can go in the game. The good thing is that he’s given his first start. already made his first big career move and it shouldn’t do him much harm to be at Lille. The club has a good record with young players, many of whom have moved onto bigger and Angers beat Istres 4-2 on the opening day of the season, with Boufal setting up Khaled Ayari better things. It’s likely he’ll cement his place as a starter next season. For now, he’s had to for the away side’s third goal. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t add to that tally for the rest of be content with mostly a place on the bench, but that was to be expected. Until he builds the 2013/14 season, or even register a goal, but he caught the eye a number of times with his muscle and stamina up then he probably won’t be able to start matches consistently at some strong performances. Ligue 1 level.

This season, Boufal continued where he left off, but added a more clinical edge to his game. Boufal certainly has the technical attributes to go a long way in the game and is sure to He is very light-footed on the ball, possesses great dribbling skills and is more than capable develop more in other departments, so it’s safe to assume his future is bright. of making defenders look like idiots. Ligue 2 is not always the greatest of environments for this type of player due to poor pitches, but at times he looked like he was gliding along the field, effortlessly jinking past helpless defenders. Before his winter transfer to Lille he scored four times and supplied three assists in just 16 appearances for Angers. boufal michybatshuayi

of Congo, but recently confirmed that Belgium is his choice. Although part of Marc Wilmots’ 30-man shortlist for the Brazil Club: olympique de marseille 2014 World Cup squad, he had to wait for a Euro 2016 qualifier against Cyprus last month to make his full debut, coming on as Position: forward substitute and scoring with his first shot as a full international.

DOB: 02.10.93 Batshuayi has all of the attributes to become a world-beating striker. Predominantly right-footed but also able to finish with his Nat: belgian left, he has a powerful, accurate shot and can score from long range or close in. His speed allows him to get behind defences, capped: belgium and he can also use his strength to hold the ball up well. His ability to receive the ball with his back to goal, turn and shoot is fast becoming his trademark, and is responsible for three of his eight Ligue 1 goals.

He also has the speedy footwork to make space for himself in congested areas and has a few tricks in his locker too, as highlighted in particular in his first start of the season, against Lille. He is at times a little too selfish, but this should improve with experience. His self- confessed weakness is heading, but he has time to work on this too; in any case, it didn’t harm Henry’s career too much.

Many of this season’s previews named Marseille’s summer signing Michy Batshuayi as one His pre-season for Marseille was prolific and it looked as though he would set Ligue 1 of the potential stars of the Ligue 1 campaign. It has not quite worked out that way but the on fire. However, he has for most of the season been kept out by the excellent form of striker has shown that he has all the tools to become, sooner rather than later, one of Ligue Gignac in the lone striker role, leading to some fears that his youthful petulance could 1’s superstars. resurface. Yet, under the strict guidance of Bielsa, he has been a model of professionalism in Marseille. He is popular and generous with the fans and seems to get on very well with Marseille signed Batshuayi from Standard Liège in the close season for a reported fee of €7 team-mates, including Gignac: “he is world class and I see it more as an apprenticeship than million, after a fantastic 2013/14 season in which the striker scored 21 goals, helping his as competition. He has great experience so I’m learning a lot. We chat, we get on very well. team to finish second and winning the Ebony Boot – the award for the best African (origin) He’s teaching me by talking and I’m learning by watching when I’m on the bench.” player in the league – in the process. When he has been given the chance, Batshuayi has grasped it, notably scoring a five-minute Unsurprisingly, the suitors came calling, with rumours of interest from Swansea, Newcastle match-saving double off the bench against Saint-Etienne, and grabbing further braces and Arsenal – a team for whom Batshuayi has always professed a liking. But Marseille – against Toulouse and Lens (achieving his ambition to score in the in the helped by a rare example of coach Marcelo Bielsa and president Vincent Labrune singing process). In the meantime, he sees this year as part of his learning curve: “Ligue 1 is not from the same hymn sheet – prevailed. easy – it’s much more physical, more technical, it’s a whole other level. So I have no targets, just to learn and improve”. Earlier in his career, it seemed less likely that Batshuayi would make it to the top of the game, as disciplinary problems led Anderlecht to dump him. Liège took the gamble and he If Batshuayi continues to progress, one of Europe’s powerhouses may come calling. In the repaid them, rising to the first team and scoring 44 goals over three seasons, improving his meantime, Michy seems more than content with life on the Canebière: “it’s sunny and ratio each year. International recognition has followed and he has excelled for the Belgium there’s a beach!” under-21 team (one squad exclusion for inviting girls to his bedroom aside), scoring seven goalsbatshuayi in thirteen appearances. Batshuayi also qualifies to play for the Democratic Republic fabinho

His speed is less impressive than his sense of anticipation, often enabling him to cut out an endless succession of opposition Club: as monaco passes. This can be seen even more clearly when he plays in central midfield, a position in which he excels having played Position: defence there throughout his time with Paulínia, even though he now prefers right-back. DOB: 23.10.93 Fabinho has the advantage of being taller than the average full- Nat: brazilian back but, more importantly, his excellent positional awareness helps him to excel when defending set-pieces. Fabinho is capped: brazil u20 strong, but is also proficient in using his body, especially when positioning himself between opponents and the ball in tight areas. In such a physical league, this combination of mind and muscle makes Fabinho a serious asset.

Like Ranieri, has shown complete confidence in Fabinho. His consistency has caught the attention of scouts from several Champions League regulars, as well as Seleçao boss . His first call-up, as disciplinary cover for Maicon in September 2014, was mainly due to his availability given that he was already with Brazil’s Olympic side at the time. However, the second, in March 2015, was based on merit alone, reward for his contribution to Monaco’s watertight defence as well as a stunning performance in central A native of Campinas in São Paulo state, Fábio Henrique Tavares – better known as Fabinho midfield away to Arsenal in the Champions League. – came through the youth teams at local side Paulínia before joining Rio giants Fluminense at 17. A year of stellar performances in Flu’s youth sides put him on the radar of Portuguese While Brazil may not have the same strength in depth at right-back of years gone by, it is super agent, Jorge Mendes. still an impressive achievement on Fabinho’s part to have broken into the squad in just his second year of regular top-flight football. If everything proceeds at the current rate of Technically Fabinho is owned by Rio Ave, but in this context they are effectively a holding progress, he is expected to play in the Olympic team that will chase that elusive gold medal company. Rio Ave/Mendes got hold of Fabinho in 2012 and immediately sent him to Real at Rio 2016. ’s B side. He played the whole year there (even making a league appearance for the senior side), but Los Merengues decided not to buy. Mendes was at this point making a Fabinho has taken well not only to the French league, but to life there too. In contrast fortune selling players to Monaco, so he sent his young right-back to the principality as well. to many recent Ligue 1 imports, he already speaks extremely good French, and both he and Monaco’s management have expressed serious interest in making their current Fabinho took little time to make his mark. Benefitting from a timely injury to , arrangement permanent. Rare is the player who so early in his career shows such his main rival for the right-back role, he started the season in Claudio Ranieri’s first XI intelligence in his decisions both on and off the pitch. Naturally, neither he nor Monaco’s and was soon earning rave reviews, his brilliant performance against PSG in a 1-1 draw at management are the only ones who have a say here: Mendes will ultimately sell Fabinho to the Stade Louis II in February 2014 being particularly impressive. That game showcased the highest bidder. Whoever does sign him will not be disappointed. Fabinho’s attacking qualities – an awareness of when to time his runs for maximum effect, and some excellent crosses, one of which could only turn into his own net. But his real strength lies in the defensive side of his game.

The Brazilian has been blessed with some handy physical gifts. He is quick, tall and powerful. fabinhoBut these qualities stand out because the Brazilian is so adept at knowing how to use them. samuelumtiti

He is as strong in the air as he is with the ball on the ground, and is unafraid to put his foot in when required. A statistic of note Club: olympique lyonnais is that in just over 90 Ligue 1 games he has only received one red card and 14 bookings. For a centre-back so young, where Position: defence rashness can so easily be exposed, he has shown intelligence and a calm head. Umtiti also possesses an excellent turn of pace that DOB: 14.11.93 enables him to cope with almost anything that is thrown his way. At times he has even popped up to take a surprisingly good free Nat: french kick even getting himself on the scoresheet with his late, late equaliser in Paris. CappeD: France u21 Season after season Umtiti is improving and he has become the poster boy for what can happen if you give young players a chance and stick with them – and a shining example of just how strong the Lyon academy is. Umtiti has already shown at the age of 21 that he possesses all the attributes of a world class centre-back, and must now continue to improve on his already substantial skill-set, his leadership skills and perhaps also his effectiveness at attacking set-pieces.

Umtiti has international experience, having played at every level from under-17 to the under-21s, and he was part of the Under-20 World Cup winning team in 2013 – although he missed the final after being sent off in the semi-final. It feels peculiar to describe a 21-year-old as a veteran but it does feel as though Samuel Umtiti is exactly that. For a man so young, he seems to have been around forever. In actual It has come as some surprise then that, despite the high quality competition for places fact it has only been four seasons since Umtiti made his debut for Lyon. In that time he has in the centre-back berth, he has not yet been rewarded with a senior call-up by Didier gone from an emergency left-back to one of Ligue 1’s most impressive centre-backs, and Deschamps, but with Euro 2016 looming and Lyon looking set to finish strongly in Ligue one of the first names on the Lyon teamsheet. 1, that call may not be too far away. It would be just reward for four seasons of fantastic progression, consistency, and sheer talent and determination. Since breaking through to the first team in 2012, Umtiti has played over 120 league and cup games for les Gones, a hugely impressive number for someone so young. It was a Seen as one of the figureheads for the young Lyon side created by Remi Garde and moulded permanent move to his more familiar centre-back role that saw Umtiti really start to shine into shape by Hubert Fournier, Umtiti is a player on whom the Lyon fans are pinning their and it is this season that has seen him announce himself as a star for now, not just the hopes of a return to the glory days of the mid-2000s. Similarly, however, it is easy to see future. why the likes of Real Madrid and a host of Premier League clubs have recently shown an interest in the young defender. With the number of quality young French centre-backs In a Lyon side well-known for its youth, Umtiti has really stepped up his responsibilities to growing, Umtiti could and perhaps should be the next one to hit the big time. take on a senior role within the team. Able to command the defensive line, even with more experienced players alongside him, Umtiti has excelled under the pressure. While he can occasionally be caught out of position, these instances are rare and his organisational skill in marshalling a defence that includes the likes of , and Milan Bisevac has transformed Lyon’s defence into one of the meanest in Ligue 1.

Umtiti has become part of the spine of one of Ligue 1’s most impressive units, together with goalkeeperumtiti , captain and star striker Alexandre Lacazette. sanjinprcic

also earned him his full Bosnia-Herzegovina debut in September 2014. Club: stade rennais At the end of the season, Renard sang Prcic’s praises, saying Position: midfield that, despite the relegation, Prcic deserved to stay in Ligue 1 because of his above-average technical ability. Several foreign DOB: 20.11.93 clubs showed interest in the young midfielder, including PSV, Newcastle and a handful of teams, but in the end Nat: french Rennes came out on top, signing Prcic on a four-year contract for a reported fee of €1 million. capped: bosnia-h On his arrival, Prcic spoke a good game, saying that “everything is in place here for me to progress and develop. The competition helps people perform above themselves”. Things started excellently, as Prcic began the second match of the season, at home to Evian, and was one of the best players on the pitch, delivering two corners that led directly to goals, as Rennes won 6-2.

Rennes fans liked what they saw and were keen to see more of the tall, lean midfielder, who impressed with his excellent reading of the game, a gossamer-soft first touch, great set- piece delivery and a fantastic eye for a long pass, with the ability to complete it.

In amongst the rough and tumble of the midfield, especially in as robust a league as Ligue However, things have not progressed too smoothly since that match, as Prcic has struggled 1, skill can tend to be obscured by all the physicality. But occasionally a footballer emerges to maintain that form, in part due to coach Philippe Montanier’s constant tinkering with his who seems to rise above the maelstrom to glide across the pitch, providing caviar to team- team. Although his height makes him effective in the air, he is not the best of tacklers and, mates. Those players are often frustrating, flitting in and out of matches, seemingly showing perhaps with that in mind, Montanier has played him a lot more in home matches, where disinterest and then suddenly coming up with a control, a move or a pass that takes the the onus is on the team to attack rather than defend. After last year’s performances, Prcic breath away. Players like Pastore and Gourcuff spring to mind. Sanjin Prcic has the potential is a marked man and the general feeling is that he needs to bulk up to avoid being bullied to join them. off the ball so easily. At the same time, however, perhaps he needs to be freed from the midfield shovelwork and allowed to express himself further up the pitch. Born in Belfort in eastern France, Prcic joined the big club of the area, Sochaux-Montbéliard, as a seven-year-old. Torn knee ligaments when aged only 18 delayed his entry into the Renard spotted other areas where there may be room for improvement: “he didn’t do professional ranks, but he showed good character to overcome that injury and ready enough when he lost the ball…He needs to be more effective because he can score lots of himself to join the first team squad for the beginning of the 2013/14 season. One month in, goals and have a great career.” and a few months short of his twentieth birthday, Prcic made his Sochaux debut, playing the final minute against Ajaccio. There is no doubt that Prcic has the range of skills to make it. Now the onus is on him to muscle up, become more decisive and take the next step forward. He could become A few bit-part appearances followed as les Lionceaux struggled in the early weeks of the a reliable performer or he could become a frustratingly ephemeral talent. Either way, it season. Then Hervé Renard was appointed manager and, as the season progressed, Prcic should be beautiful to watch. became an increasingly influential member of the team, as Renard came to see him as the playmaker with the potential to save the club’s Ligue 1 status. In the end the team fell just short, but Prcic ended the season with 29 Ligue 1 appearances, 20 of them as starter – an impressive statistic for a rookieprcic and a testament to his immediate importance. His form raphaelguerreiro

The big addition to his game this season has been goals. Prior to the 2014/15 campaign he had one solitary league goal to his Club: name; by March 2015 he had already scored seven times. His goals vary enormously from two yard tap-ins to powerful drives Position: midfield from outside of the area.

DOB: 22.11.93 The pick of his goals came against Reims where he cut in from the right - on a brief stint on the opposite flank - to curl a brilliant Nat: french effort into the top corner.

Capped: Portugal Not bad for a player who is still expected to drop back into defence at a moment’s notice. On the subject of his defensive duties, it is impressive to see that despite gaining so much glory from his times further up the pitch, he hasn’t lost any of the traditional attributes that initially got him the move to Ligue 1. His pace comes into its own when defending and allows him to quickly recover should he ever find himself out of position, not that it happens regularly. He has tactical nous as well as a great ability to read the game and identify threats before they emerge. He is also unafraid to get stuck in and despite an innocent face, has a steely core that makes him tough in the tackle.

All these qualities and more have led to him appearing on the radar of some of Europe’s The 2014/15 campaign has been something of an annus mirabilis for Portuguese youngster bigger teams with Arsenal consistently linked. Whilst a move like this will eventually happen, Raphael Guerreiro. After taking to Ligue 1 like the proverbial duck to water in his first season it may be that in the short-term he will continue to impress for Lorient. Unfortunately, if with Lorient, the 21-year-old has gone from strength to strength since the start of the les Merlus dropped into Ligue 2 at the end of the 2014/15 season, that move will naturally season. happen sooner rather than later.

Legendary Lorient boss saw enormous promise in Guerreiro, and It was pleasing to see Guerreiro’s fantastic form rewarded with an international call up. tempted him through the promise of top flight football at le Moustoir into a move from After making a handful of appearances for the Portuguese under-21 side, French-born Caen where he had progressed through the ranks to become an important first-team player. Guerreiro was called up to the senior side in November 2014. He was instantly drafted into Those who saw Guerreiro in his early days with Lorient saw a player with huge potential but the starting eleven and made his full debut in a win over Armenia before going on to score who was perhaps a little rough around the edges. The departure of Gourcuff and promotion in his second outing, getting the winner in a friendly against Argentina. He looks set to be of may have had a slightly unsettling effect on the club, but Guerreiro has part of the national set up for a long time to come. thrived under the change. A player who can make the left side his own against any team, Guerreiro has gone a long Ripoll has looked to utilise Guerreiro’s natural attacking talent in a more potent manner way to prove his baby-faced looks hide a talent that will go far. by playing him in increasingly advanced positions. What started out as a progression from left-back to wing-back/midfield has seen the player develop further into a fully-fledged left- winger. This has allowed Lorient to profit hugely from Guerreiro’s strengths. He possesses fantastic speed, close control and an eye for a pass which has seen him transformed into one of Ligue 1’s most dangerous wide players. His four assists so far in the 2014/15 campaignguerre go a long way to give evidence of this. thomastoure

Scouts from Europe’s bigger leagues needed just a few glances to realise there was something a bit special about Touré, and he has Club: girondins de bordeaux already been linked to several Bundesliga clubs. He certainly has the raw attributes to be an asset on the other side of the Rhine. Position: forward One thing that stands out when watching Touré is how, at least at DOB: 27.12.93 this stage in his development, he seems almost designed to excel on the counter-attack. Not only is he very quick and a proficient Nat: french technician, but he also has excellent awareness of the defenders around him and consequently is adept at using his body to turn uncapped and accelerate into space.

His high foul count and growing collection of yellow cards proves Touré still needs to work on the defensive side of his game, but that in itself shows that he is at least making an effort in the defensive phase. He is in many ways the archetypal modern footballer, right down to the busy and frequently hilarious second life he leads on twitter as @Treezy_Toms.

Touré’s Christmas present from Bordeaux was an improved contract until 2019, but since the turn of the year his minutes have dried up somewhat. Partly this is due to Bordeaux losing their early-season spark, possibly from Sagnol’s subsequent attempts to mix things up What would happen if you mixed some genes from both the current European and African by introducing a diamond midfield. For Touré, he is still most effective on the wing where he champions and hot-housed it in a country famed for its youth development? Bordeaux can bring his speed and dribbling into play; this means he now must content himself with forward Thomas Touré, born in France to an Ivorian father and a Spanish mother, is occasional substitute appearances. Sagnol has not forgotten him, and in Bordeaux’s push for providing us with an answer. Thus far the results are encouraging. European football both this season and beyond, he will definitely play a vital role.

Touré arrived from Cannes in 2010 and did so well with Bordeaux’s CFA side that his name He will no doubt have a contribution to make internationally too, although it remains to was already familiar to Willy Sagnol, who intended to give Touré plenty of playing time, be seen who for. Touré had just two league starts to his name when Hervé Renard added as soon as he arrived in Aquitaine. Stroke of fortune number one: be in the coach’s good him to the Ivory Coast’s national squad, an invitation Touré declined, stating that while it books before he has even met you. Number two: see one of your direct rivals for a starting would be an honour for him to represent the land of his father, he was not yet ready to pick spot succumb to a long-term injury just as the season starts. , with whom Touré between Ivory Coast and France. Spain do not seem to be part of the equation, but if Touré shares more than the odd similarity, and who finally broke into the first XI in 2013/14, keeps improving at the current rate it would not be a surprise to see them start making suffered a knee injury that ruled him out until December. enquiries.

As well as getting lucky, you also need to deliver when that chance falls your way. Touré did, with a series of excellent performances showing off his brilliantly quick feet and smart link- up play. Few players have opened their scoring accounts in professional football the way Touré did. Deep into stoppage time at the Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux were drawing 1-1 with Rennes. Though visibly exhausted by a tough game, Touré found space by the edge of the box, and when a Cheick Diabaté pass came his way, he curled a gorgeous first time effort into the top corner. toure benjaminbourigeaud

pinging long cross-field balls to team-mates. One such long ball from the edge of his own area began the break that led to Lens’ Club: first goal, and his searching free kick in the last minute set up the equaliser. Position: midfield His first start – and first goal – came a week later in the Coupe de DOB: 14.01.94 France against AFC Creil, and two matches later he had signed his first professional contract, saying that “I joined Lens at 10 and Nat: french have grown up with the club. So for me it’s an honour to sign by first pro contract here”. capped: France u20 Bourigeaud went on to play 22 matches last season, helping Lens to promotion and to the Coupe de France quarter finals (it was his pinpoint corner that set up the winner as Lens shocked Lyon 2-1 in the Round of 16). Unsurprisingly, international recognition followed, as he was named in the France under-20 squad for the Toulon tournament last summer, playing two matches.

Despite the step up in quality and the team’s struggles, Bourigeaud has retained his place in the Lens team, appearing in 20 Ligue 1 matches and starting half of them; although only completing the full 90 minutes once, suggesting both that Lens are wary of burning him out, and that he must work on pacing himself and preserving energy in matches. He has been The return of Lens to Ligue 1 this season has been difficult for the club and its fans. A move played as a right winger, a defensive midfielder and an attacking midfielder, but is clearly at to a temporary home in Amiens, fans causing trouble, and the financial problems leading to his best in the central midfield role, using his energy, speed and stamina to stand out as a a transfer embargo have more often than not overshadowed events on the pitch. However, box-to-box midfielder. His first goal of the season, against Toulouse, highlighted his abilities, les Sang et Or’s current problems may prove to have long-term benefits, as it has allowed as he showed his reading of the game to intercept an opponent’s pass deep inside his own a nucleus of promising youngsters to gain early experience of top-level football. One such half, sprinted most of the length of the field, laid the ball off and remained on hand to player is Benjamin Bourigeaud. pounce on the loose ball in the area.

Born up the road from Lens in Calais, Bourigeaud has spent all his life in the Nord-Pas-de- Arguably Bourigeaud’s highlight so far, however, was his man of the match performance Calais region. After being spotted by playing for local Calais teams, he joined the Lens set- against Metz, in which he ran the show, hitting the bar once, setting up the team’s first with up at only 10 years old. Bourigeaud played his way through the club’s various age groups, an excellent cross and then sealing the points by scoring with a towering header. before joining the professional squad for pre-season training for the 2013/14 Ligue 2 campaign. Bourigeaud is proud of his roots, always thanking his parents, complimenting the Lens fans in interviews, and saying “I try to represent my region the best I can, and to sweat blood His debut came in November 2013, as coach Antoine Kombouaré introduced him for the for the shirt”. If he continues to progress, it will not be long before some big clubs will be second half of a fixture at Niort. Undaunted by his first experience of professional football, clamouring to prise him away from his Nord-Pas-de-Calais home. Bourigeaud gave a fantastic cameo display and a 45-minute showcase of all of his strongest virtues as he helped Lens to battle back from 2-0 down for a draw.

Throwing himself into tackles, dropping back to receive the ball and begin attacks, either by marauding forward himself or distributing to a team-mate, shooting powerfully from distance,bourige sprinting back to head off potential breaks at the pass, taking set-pieces and le50 the statistics france vs rest of the world

CLUB representation

ASM - 6 OM - 5 OGCN - 4 OL - 4 PSG - 4 FCN - 3 GDB - 3 LOSC - 3 RCL - 3 ASN - 2 FCL - 2 SRFC - 2 ASSE - 1 LBC - 1 ESTAC - 1 FCM - 1 positions nationalities MHSC - 1 SCB - 1 SDR - 1 SMC - 1 statistiTFC - 1 the classof 2014

Vincent Aboubakar Yannick Ferreira Carrasco Adrien Rabiot

Alphonse Areola Jordan Ferri

Serge Aurier Jean-Philippe Gbamin Benjamin Mendy

Tiemoue Bakayoko Raphael Guerreiro Morgan Sanson

Yassine Benzia Cedric Hountondji Axel Ngando Uros Spajic

Andre Biyogo-Poko Adrien Hunou Yeni NGbakoto Florian Tardieu

Alexy Bosetti Gianelli Imbula MBaye Niang Florian Thauvin

Zacharie Boucher Geoffrey Kondogbia Paul-Georges Ntep Birama Toure

Lucas Digne Lucas Ocampos Samuel Umtiti

Abdoulaye Doucoure Mario Lemina Jordan Veretout

Valentin Eysseric Divock Origi Marco Verratti

Fabinho Marquinhos Maxime Poundje Kurt Zouma

Anthony Martial Gregoire Puel le 50player has moved club since list was released cedrichountondji

His strengths lie in the cornerstone of every good centre- back. At 6ft 5in, he is naturally good in the air and surprisingly Club: chateauroux comfortable with the ball at his feet. He carries with him an elegant, almost insouciant, attitude that at times can sometimes Position: defence make him appear too casual.

DOB: 19.01.94 However, he has plenty of pace about him, pace that at times has been much needed when playing in a defence that blends Nat: french inexperience with ageing legs at Chateauroux. Hountondji has definitely developed as a player; playing alongside a French capped: france u21 football stalwart as he does with Laurent Bonnart has only helped him to discover some of the nuances of the game that come with experience.

Areas that have improved significantly since joining Chateauroux have been his physicality and tackling. When playing for Rennes he appeared a bit gangly at times, all legs and not enough strength as he found himself muscled off the ball by opposing players. Since dropping down to Ligue 2 and playing every week, he has bulked up slightly which has made him more of an intimidating presence who can hold his own against the more physical attackers.

It’s been a slightly contradictory 12 months for 21-year-old centre back Cedric Hountondji. He still has much to learn, especially when it comes to positioning: his youthful naivety A player of undoubted raw potential, the start of 2014 saw him as a member of the Rennes can sometimes get the better of him as he leaves gaps for the opposition to exploit. With first team, frequently playing and providing more than adequate cover when the likes of so much work to do in trying to keep a poor side afloat, you could easily forgive him the , Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik and John Boye were unavailable. With the summer occasional lapse in concentration. During these still relatively formative years, playing departures of the latter two, it seemed Hountondji would get his chance to find a more alongside the likes of Bonnart and Armand can only benefit Hountondji in the long run. The permanent place in the starting line up. short-term gains have certainly seen the player mature as he seeks to improve the areas of his game that are sometimes lacking. He must have been disappointed then to see an influx of centre-backs with Edson , Fallou Diagne and Gjoko Zajkov all coming in to compete with the youngster. As Rennes All in all it has been a tough but hugely rewarding season for Hountondji which has seen coach Philippe Montanier elected to go with Mexer and Armand as his first choice and him have to contend with everything regular professional football has to offer. He may not Diagne as cover, Hountondji had a decision to make. have passed every test with flying colours but he has certainly done enough to warrant mention as one of France’s bright centre-back hopes and beyond that, a chance to stake It was therefore pleasing to see him join Ligue 2 Chateauroux on loan for the 2014/15 his claim as a first choice for Rennes. With Armand approaching the twilight of his career season. With that came a chance for him to develop as a player with consistent first team and none of the other Rennes centre-backs sufficiently stepping up, Hountondji will have football. No-one can deny he has had plenty to experience as la Berri have suffered a identified that it’s a case of first team football with his parent club or finding an opportunity dreadful campaign. elsewhere.

Hountondji however has continued to make strides as he finds his feet in the world of week-in, week-out first team football. In a team playing so badly, he has at times shone and hountondespite an occasional blip, has continued to show that he has a lot still to offer Rennes. antoineconte

For a promising young player, who had clearly relished moments such as going to Valencia in the Champions League in a squad Club: that contained David Beckham, this meant taking a step backwards. Indeed, he would later confess that even being Position: defence involved in a relatively minor capacity was seen as a “bonus”.

DOB: 29.01.94 Reims offered him the opportunity of regular Ligue 1 football via a loan deal in 2013, and after impressing during that campaign, Nat: french he would be permanently relocated to the Champagne region when arrived at a year later. Capped: france u21 It has proven to be a ‘step back’ that has allowed Conte to unlock the potential of his game. A regular starter this season under Jean-Luc Vasseur, he continues to feature regularly in the France national set up, with which he has graduated to the under-21s, having played at every level since under-17.

He admitted when he signed for the club that he required more pitch time in order to grow and reach his potential, and at the Stade Auguste Delaune he has earned just that.

While his natural position is to be found in the heart of the defence, Conte’s mobility and athleticism have also allowed him to be used in a right-back role at times, where he has The inability of Paris Saint-Germain to successfully bring through young players into their performed in an equally accomplished manner. first team has been a source of criticism for the Parc des Princes side, and the success that Antoine Conte has enjoyed since departing the capital should only be seen as further Unfortunately for the 21-year-old, his opportunities at international level for France may ammunition in this debate. be restricted. Just as he found his path blocked in the early years of his club career, he is breaking through at a time in which Les Bleus are particularly strong in his favoured role. Conte signed for the Parisian outfit as a 13-year-old in 2007 and ultimately made his debut for his hometown club as a teenager when he came off the bench to replace Mamadou Raphael Varane, Aymeric Laporte and Kurt Zouma are just some of the centre-backs who Sakho. “My heart went boom when I had my first training session with the pros,” he have got a jump on him in Didier Deschamps’ thinking. It could be at right-back that Conte admitted. “Then I was really happy when put me on the bench. But in builds an international career with France. Toulouse, I did not understand right away what was happening to me. It was only after the game I took the measure of the fabulous 15 minutes I had spent on the pitch.” He excelled recently against England in this position on his debut for Les Espoirs, and with France struggling to develop right-sided full-backs, there may be an opportunity to grasp. This emotional debut was to be the only opportunity that Conte had to taste competitive Though his future is bright, it would be somewhat surprising if he were to ascend to such league football with PSG. “He is a worker, he has good technique and he has been able to heights for Les Bleus. Representing Guinea remains an international possibility due to his erase the impatience from his game, but he has huge rivals for his position,” revealed an heritage, however. unnamed agent close to the club in February 2013. It was to prove a prophetic statement. Conte has shown himself to be a young player not scared to take big decisions to enhance Just as fellow Parisien Mamadou Sakho, described as a ‘big brother’ to Conte, was his career, and this maturity has allowed him to grow into an established Ligue 1 player. ultimately forced out due to the competition emanating from the likes of Thiago Silva and Now his challenge is to make a move back up the ladder. Alex, so too would space be too tight for his prodigy. conte chrisphilipps

Although brought up as a central defender, Philipps’ appearances Club: this season have all been as a defensive midfielder. In terms of style, and of players for him to aspire to, it is hard to look past Position: midfield Maxime Gonalons or Jeremy Toulalan. Philipps is a sentinel – far more romantic a description than Cantona’s “water carrier”. DOB: 08.03.94 He shows little interest in going forward; his job is to protect Nat: luxembourgian his defence, to win the ball and to give it to a team-mate. An excellent tackler – still liable to fly in occasionally but that can be capped: luxembourg put down to youthful exuberance – Philipps uses his height and strength to win the ball on the ground or in the air. His technical ability is better than the average defensive midfielder, allowing him to protect the ball and to begin counter-attacks, looking to move the ball vertically, not necessarily the safe horizontal pass. “He is serious, disciplined and intelligent,” commented Cartier after his impressive performance in a blizzard against Nice. He’s pretty hard too – Philipps was the only player in that match who braved short sleeves!

Although some might joke that the competition has not been fierce, Philipps has comfortably been one of Metz’s best players since breaking into the team. And it is his international experience that has helped him to settle so quickly. Due to the relative lack of The second half of this Ligue 1 season has been nightmarish for fans of FC Metz. However, resources in Luxembourg, Philipps is one of those rare examples of a footballer who has had one of the few bright sparks amid the doom and gloom of 2015 has been the emergence of more opportunities to play at the highest level for his country than for his club. Already part les Grenats’ young Luxembourger, Chris Philipps. of the under-17 team at the age of 14, he played his way through the age groups and made his full debut at 17, featuring in a rare win for the Duchy, 2-1 over Macedonia. Philipps now Born just over the French border in Wiltz, around 100 kilometres from Metz, Philipps was has 21 caps, and has faced up to some of Europe’s powerhouses, playing in defence against spotted by the club from the Moselle at an early age: in 2007 – the same year that the club’s Spain, and in midfield in an impressive 1-1 draw with . That experience has helped him last Luxembourger, Miralem Pjanic, made his professional debut – the 13-year-old Philipps to approach his Ligue 1 introduction, particularly in difficult circumstances for his club, with represented the national team for his age group in friendlies against Metz. The scouts were calmness and maturity. impressed and, after a couple of tournaments for the Metz youth team, he was asked to join the club’s academy. Philipps has had a long wait to break into the first team, and rumours of a loan move, perhaps to Germany, have circulated at times. But the player, who has said that it is a dream Philipps worked his way through the youth ranks at Metz and signed his first professional come true to wear the Metz colours, has always been loyal: “this club has trained me, has contract in March 2013. Two months later he made his professional debut, at the end of the given me so much. If I get the chance to give something back, I’ll fight till the end for them.” Messins’ year of purgatory in the National, and appeared a handful more times during last season’s Ligue 2-winning campaign. Metz have some tough months ahead of them, but with Chris Philipps at the vanguard, they are in safe, reliable hands. Philipps retained his place on the bench at the beginning of this season, but the arrival of relegated him to the reserves. He kept his head down and, as Metz were hit by loss of form, injuries and CAN representation, Cartier called the youngster up for a daunting debut at Lyon. Despite the 2-0 defeat, Philipps impressed and started six of the philippsfollowing seven matches. jordanamavi

This season, Amavi has been thrust into the starting line-up, and hasn’t looked back once. So far in 2014/15 he has only Club: ogc nice missed eight minutes of action and will go on to pass the 3,000-minute mark by the end of the campaign. Not only have Position: defence his performances seen him become a mainstay of Puel’s defence, but he has also quickly gained a reputation as one of the best DOB: 09.03.94 left-backs in France.

Nat: french One can see from his style of play that his early days were spent as a winger. Amavi still has that desire to get forward and push Capped: france u21 the opposition defender back, making overlapping runs, or taking on his man to create space for the forwards.

Although Amavi is blessed with a fantastic left foot, the reason he has yet to record an assist this season is more down to the lack of a dominant forward leading Nice’s front-line. Not limited to playing wide, he is clearly confident in his ability to come inside on to his weaker right foot and try his luck to wrong-foot the opposition defence.

For all the praise given to Amavi when he is on the ball, his defensive displays this season have been just as impressive. Against Marseille at the Stade Velodrome, Nice may have lost 4-0, but up against Florian Thauvin, Amavi was excellent. He used his strength to fight off Every summer the southern town of Toulon hosts one of football’s most respected youth the winger and easily matched his pace. Thauvin ended the game with a goal and an assist, tournaments. As a kid, Jordan Amavi would have had the opportunity to watch the likes but it would have been harsh to point the finger of blame towards Amavi. of James Rodriguez and Loic Remy on his doorstep. Having so many great young players gracing his hometown has acted like a contagious bug. Last summer the defender was part Overall, Thauvin struggled due to Amavi’s excellence. The young defender has made more of France’s under-20 squad that reached the final of the tournament, which came as no interceptions than anyone else in the league this season, and on that night he nearly tripled surprise to the people who shaped his career. his figures against the league average. It is too simplistic to look at the result and declare it a poor performance. He had to cover through the centre, read Marseille attacks and make From the age of seven until he was 16, Amavi played for local side Sporting Toulon, where sure the former Bastia man didn’t have a good night. one of his coaches identified him as a future France international, but, he says, “no one believed me.” Now, as an under-21 international and one of the best left-backs in Ligue 1, Amavi has the full spectrum of characteristics that you need to succeed as a modern-day the 21-year-old is on the verge of proving his coach right. full-back. He is dangerous in the air – scoring three headers this season – has pace, strength and a great awareness of what is happening around him. He hasn’t let his success get the OGC Nice have recently made a habit of developing excellent young left-backs under the better of him, however, saying “my family and my friends would soon bring me back down watch of Claude Puel. Timothee Kolodziejczak joined from Lyon and quickly showed his to earth” if he acted beyond his station. ability to terrify defences and provide Nice with stability at the back. It looked like a strange Contracted until 2017, it is unlikely that Puel will let him follow the same path as decision when Les Aiglons decided to sell the 22-year-old to Sevilla in the summer of 2014. Kolodziejczak. Amavi is the future of the club, and soon he will be pushing to become the future of the national team too. Puel knew exactly what he was doing, however. Amavi made his debut for the club at the start of the previous season, against Lyon in the opening weekend. Deputising for Kolodziejczak, theamavi apprentice would make just nine starts, but regularly came off the bench lennynangis

stand-out goalscorer – but a habit of scoring stand-out goals. Nangis scored four goals in his first three seasons combined, a Club: sm caen tally which this season he matched in January.

Position: midfield His strikes are a pleasing mix of styles: a rapid charge from the right to the centre against Toulouse, shooting from just inside the DOB: 24.03.94 area; a header against Lorient having dashed in from the right; a great solo run up the left against Nice to shoot from outside the Nat: french area; and another charge up the left against Rennes, finishing from a very tight angle after leaving the keeper on the ground. capped: france u21 He can score all sorts, therefore – and from either wing. He has also provided four assists in all competitions, compared to one last season, showing how he has made the step up to the higher level. His versatility, speed, and ability to dribble past multiple defenders, is a definite plus-point. This is the good side of the chaos that he can wreak – on the opposition.

On the other side of the equation, one concern might be his discipline: against Bordeaux he was sent off after only half an hour for trying to remove ’s knee, in the match that ended a seven-game unbeaten streak. That meant that he was unavailable – again – against Lorient in Week 29, where they lost 2-1. Lenny Nangis has only just turned 21, but is in his fourth full season on the wing with Caen. With the Normand club he has experienced relegation from Ligue 1 in 2011/12, a fourth- Nangis suits Caen, as the team’s style is also slightly chaotic: with some of the lowest place finish in Ligue 2 in 2012/13, and then the joy of promotion by going one better in possession figures in the league, and an iffy pass completion rate, their strength is on the 2013/14. To add to the disappointment of missing out on promotion in 2012/13, he suffered break. The bulk of their attacks come from the wings, where he could be stationed either initially from a managerial change as replaced Franck Dumas – and his habit side, and they are extremely strong from set pieces, and win a lot of aerial balls. The multi- of giving young players a break. Nangis persevered, playing infrequently until the second tasking winger with the quick feet and decent aerial ability, despite his height, is able to half of the promotion season, when he became ever-present. react to opportunities as they present themselves. If Caen do manage to stay up this season – and it’s looking promising – Lenny Nangis will be a big part of the reason why. Throughout this period, he was working his way up through the French youth system, playing at every level from under-16 to the under-20s, with two goals in ten (friendly) appearances for les Bleuets, after a one-in-two record at under-16 and -17 level.

One match into 2015, with Caen sitting bottom of the league, things were not looking very promising. From then on, however, Caen put together a quite astonishing run to leave them top of the form table, putting four past Reims, Rennes and Lens, and coming from 2-0 down against nine-man PSG at the Parc des Princes to draw, and from 2-0 down against Marseille at the Velodrome to win.

Nangis missed the PSG match through suspension, and came off injured within half an hour against Marseille, but his contribution in the other, less flashy, results as they got to that nangispoint cannot be underestimated. Caen are a team who share the goals around, with no marquinhos

ditch block he made during PSG’s 3-2 Champions League group stage win over to deny Jordi Alba a certain goal. The Club: paris saint-germain defender’s celebration of that decisive interception has become the first of no doubt many iconic images of the talented young- Position: defence ster.

DOB: 14.05.94 The return of Silva in October was coincidentally timed with Marquinhos missing a month through injury, and the captain’s Nat: brazilian protégé has struggled to make his return to the centre of the de- fence. Luiz and the skipper have largely formed Blanc’s defensive Capped: brazil pairing of choice, leaving the former Roma man to make do with deputising at right-back.

Since the start of 2015, Marquinhos has seen as much action in his secondary position as he has in the middle of the back four. Blanc, desperate to keep hold of one of his most talent- ed players despite being unable to guarantee him his favoured role, opted to play him on the right of the defence with struggling to rediscover his form of last season. The results were impressive. At the start of the year, PSG emerged unscathed from a tough run of games with largely positive results and clean sheets. It quickly became clear that even Marquinhos out of position was better for the balance of the defence than Van der Wiel and since then, the Brazilian has been difficult to dislodge from that position. It has been a difficult second season for Laurent Blanc and defending Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain, with Le President’s men struggling to recapture last campaign’s domi- PSG had to fend off interest in their talented number five in January after reports emerged nant form. However, despite plenty of frustration at the Parc des Princes, there have been a that he was unhappy to simply be third choice. Blanc gave the defender his chance and he few success stories and young defender Marquinhos is definitely one of them. The Brazilian took it, impressing to the point that he penned an improved contract before the end of the has developed well in the past year and is now more established in the French capital. season. At least for now, this should limit, but not stop, the rumours of his departure.

On the fringes of Blanc’s starting XI following his big-money arrival from Roma in the sum- “Marquinhos has a spirit and a special mentality,” Blanc told a press conference earlier this mer of 2013, Marquinhos managed 17 league starts, scoring twice, and another six starts year. “We have done everything to keep him and we will do everything possible to extend in the Champions League, bagging three goals, including on his debut for the club, against his contract. It is good that, as a player, he can operate in different roles, and let’s not forget Olympiakos away. This season he is well on course to beat that appearance record, although he is just 20 years old,” before adding “he and Adrien Rabiot represent the future of PSG.” so far only has one goal to his name. That last part is important. The capital club have fought hard this season to keep both Rabi- The South American started the season as one of Blanc’s first-choice central defenders, ot and Marquinhos and the latter, in particular, has proved that he is not just a star talent following fellow Brazilian and team captain Thiago Silva’s injury, sustained in a questiona- for the future, but also for now. The Brazilian’s goalscoring exploits might have quietened bly-scheduled friendly against Napoli in August with the domestic season already underway. down from last season, but he is an old head on young shoulders and that is of greater val- ue to both Blanc and PSG. Marquinhos and summer signing David Luiz formed a complementary central defensive partnership and the pair helped PSG up until October, when the former got injured. Up until The jury was out on Marquinhos this time last year, but now he has well and truly justified then, the Selecao starlet was arguably les Parisiens’ player of the season. his price tag and status as one of the world’s best up and coming defenders. Highlightingmarquin Marquinhos’ superb form in the early part of the campaign was the heroic last- paulnardi

Monaco’s long term plan will be for him to compete with and probably eventually replace Danijel Subašić, their Croatian Club: international. Given how much the latter has improved this season, that will not be an easy task. Position: goalkeeper Moreover, how Nardi deals with having to compete with a more DOB: 18.05.94 senior, established pro at a new club will tell us a lot about his maturity and whether he has the mental attributes required Nat: french to be an excellent goalkeeper. One can never predict perfectly how a player with no experience of being second choice and capped: france u21 who has only ever played for one club will adapt to different circumstances.

If he retains the fearlessness that so characterises much of his play with Nancy, that transition should be a little more straightforward. There are other aspects of his play which, by contrast, he will have to work on. Many of his most impressive saves could have been made easier by modifying his starting position, and his decision-making and handling also require improvement. On more than one occasion this season he has caused problems for himself by not being in the correct place when a cross comes in, then compounding the error by incorrectly choosing to come out and then spilling the ball when he does get his hands on it. France has always had a fair number of quality goalkeepers, but in recent years there has been an explosion in the quantity of potential world-class gardiens emerging from French There are comparisons to be made between Nardi and Ali Ahamada, and les Chardons’ youth sides into the league system. Alongside the likes of Alphonse Aréola and Zacharie youngster shares the same fearlessness and athleticism as the Toulouse stopper, but in Boucher, one can now add AS Nancy-Lorraine’s Paul Nardi. order to maximise his potential he will need to acquire the judiciousness that has so far escaped Ahamada. Nardi will be forgiven the occasional lapse at Nancy given he’s been at The loss of form suffered by Nancy’s senior goalkeepers around the team’s relegation in the club since he was 12 years old and is only starting his career, but at a team who expect 2013 propelled Nardi into the first XI much earlier than expected, and right from the start – and financially need – to be regulars in the Champions League, no such patience will be he excelled. Watching Nardi can, on occasion, be a lesson in the outer limits of human afforded to him. athleticism. His explosiveness is startling, and it gives him two qualities that are particularly useful in an age of high defensive lines, in which goalkeepers need to patrol large areas and Hopefully these new challenges and the pressure he will be under could bring out the best deal with one-on-ones regularly: firstly, there are few as quick as Nardi when coming off in him. If it does, then it won’t be long before Nardi is giving the national team coach a his line, whether for crosses or through balls; secondly, he has extraordinary reactions and headache as to who he picks as France’s next No. 1 goalkeeper. abilities as a shot stopper.

At the end of the 2013/14 season, his first in professional football, he was nominated for the award for best Ligue 2 goalkeeper, losing out to Alphonse Aréola. He also helped France’s under-20 side to the final of the prestigious Toulon Tournament where the best goalkeeper prize did go his way. More importantly he had drawn the attention of Monaco who signed him for €2.5m, although he would remain with Nancy this season to continue his development there. nardi valentinlavigne

Since his return, his progress has been further checked by hip issues that have prevented him making the impact upon this Club: FC lorient campaign that he was capable of. Nevertheless, Lorient were sufficiently satisfied with what their youth academy product had Position: midfield provided to offer him a two-year contract extension in March, tying him to the Bretons until 2019. DOB: 04.06.94 “This extension shows that the club has full confidence in him,” Nat: french sporting director Christophe Le Roux confirmed. “He is a worker and an ambitious boy, and those are two qualities that we uncapped appreciate at Lorient.”

To boil the youngster’s game down to two rather simplistic attributes is, however, somewhat unfair. It is fitting of the humble and industrious ethic of Lorient to seek improvement in their players all the time. Given that Lavigne is a ‘pure’ product of the Bretons’ system, it should be little surprise that he has been built perfectly to integrate with their style. A lithe wide player full of panache and vigour, he has already shown himself to be technically accomplished and clever in terms of his movement.

“He’s a boy we trust, he does not ask questions,” Ripoll said after a stunning cameo had seen the winger score two and set up another against Guingamp. The scene was set for the grand arrival of Leonardo Jardim at Monaco, yet their season opener would be wrecked by the contribution of hitherto unknown youngster Valentin From what little Ligue 1 has seen of Lavigne thus far, assurance is certainly not a problem Lavigne. in his attacking game. Far more experienced players have choked in positions from which he has thrived, and that has been essential given the holes in the attack left by the sales of Last term’s Ligue 1 runners-up had come back from ’s dismissal to equalise , Jeremie Aliadiere and Kevin Monnet-Paquet last summer. with a Radamel Falcao penalty 12 minutes from time and were committing men forward in an almost foolhardy manner to try to snatch the win. Three minutes from time, little Lorient Such departures are inevitable in Lorient’s model, but while in past years they have often stunned them when a slack pass from Andrea Raggi led to the debutant running half the looked to secure undervalued players from elsewhere in France, Lavigne and academy length of the pitch to strike. cohort Yoann Wachter offered additional reinforcement from within.

It was quite an introduction to top-level football for a young man who had only just turned What promised to be such an exciting entrance to the Ligue 1 stage has ultimately proven 20. A few weeks later, he would bag a double in the Breton derby at home to Guingamp, to be something of a disappointment for Lavigne, whose injury problems have disrupted his securing his place in the plans of head coach Sylvain Ripoll. debut campaign. However, this archetypal Lorient player is well poised to make a positive impression in the coming seasons, during which he is expected to develop into the kind of His first season with the pros, though, has been largely spent integrating into the team. marketable talent that the Bretons have thrived in nurturing under the shrewd ownership of Lorient-born Lavigne made his first six appearances as a substitute, despite his profound Loic Fery. impact from the bench. However, just as it seemed he had forced his way to a starting berth, he sustained ligament damage in his left knee that kept him sidelined for two A dynamic talent with movement and composure outside the normal range for a player so months. young, it is difficult to imagine the local lad failing to come good at his hometown club. lavigne lucasocampos

the doldrums. Instead, the move to Marseille represented a chance not only to earn game time, but also to transform his Club: olympique de marseille playing style and methods.

Position: forward The transfer was puzzling not just due to the Monaco rivalry, but also because it was a move to a team which already has a DOB: 11.07.94 significant number of wingers. This raised eyebrows as it left Ocampos to vie for a midfield spot alongside Andre Ayew, with Nationality: argentine Romain Alessandrini, Florian Thauvin and all in the mix. capped: argentina u17 In the short time that has elapsed since, it appears he has made the right decision. Ocampos’ arrival coincided with OM’s reinvigoration, with the 20-year-old already adding to their title challenge. President Vincent Labrune stated upon the winger’s arrival that he regards Ocampos as “a major talent”, with off-the-record sources stating that coach Bielsa had long requested the player. Given the management pair’s strained working relations, Ocampos was seen as a concession to the coach, but one that has crucially paid off.

Ocampos’ playing style is not too dissimilar to that of his new team-mate Florian Thauvin. Blessed with a fair amount of pace, and intense dribbling ability, Ocampos also often suffers Lucas Ocampos is a young man on a mission. A man keen to make up for lost time and to from lapses in judgement, though that – to date – has not been apparent at Marseille. kick-start his career. After a surprise move to rivals Olympique de Marseille in January 2015, His contributions have already seen him rescue a point on his debut for OM, as well as a Ocampos was keen to blot out an unsatisfactory first half of the season at Monaco, which controversial goal disallowed in the grand choc against Lyon. was so underwhelming that the principality club were willing to lend to a direct rival. Keen to show his parent club what they’re missing, Ocampos jumped at the chance to represent The move for Ocampos could turn out to be a master-stroke from Bielsa, but only if the OM, with compatriot Marcelo Bielsa at the helm. Argentine makes a significant contribution before the end of the season and OM qualify for the Champions League. The reason being that Ocampos is a player dependent on support. Support from the fans, from the coach, and from his team-mates. Just two years after arriving in the Principality With an automatic buy-in clause for OM set at €11m, now is the time for the Argentine to as a sheepish 18-year-old in a big money transfer to a side in the second division, Ocampos prosper in a new team, and with the support and admiration of his coach. After a less than was struggling for recognition as he began to shape his career. spectacular last 12 months, the winger should now press ahead to make a distinct name for himself in French football. Helping Marseille to challenge for the title would be an early So, when new Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim opted to drop him after a poor first three reward for his efforts, as he begins to make up for lost time. games of the season (in which the Monegasques had lost twice, including a 4-1 thumping at Bordeaux), it didn’t take long for the Portuguese trainer to dispose of the winger in his desire to impose his image on the team. Indeed, Ocampos started just twice more in Ligue 1 for the club before his move down the coastline.

Ocampos’ inability to convert his potential into something more solid was proving puzzling. Only seven Ligue 1 goals in 58 games isn’t something to be shouting from the rooftops about,ocampos but one thing one can credit the Argentine for is that he is not willing to remain in benjaminmendy

However, on a technical level, understandably he’s not yet the finished article, although he has made significant improvements Club: olympique de marseille since he joined Marseille.

Position: defence He started life as a standard out-and-out left-back, but has since become more versatile and is now equally comfortable playing DOB: 17.07.94 left wing-back, midfielder, or even as a winger. In fact, he has shown a real willingness to work on the attacking side of his Nat: french game; his passing has greatly improved and he is a menace to any defence when he is given time to whip in crosses in the final capped: france u21 third. The France under-21 international has created a significant number of dangerous occasions and chances for Marseille this season and he is an extremely potent weapon going forward.

There is a strong possibility in the future that he becomes more a left-sided midfielder or winger, because the weaker aspects of his game are at the back. The problem is not so much ability, but more concentration. He is prone to occasional lapses which can cost the team in a really bad way. If he was in a more advanced position these lapses would hardly be looked at, but he can sometimes struggle to find a balance between attack and defence, especially if he is in one of his moods where he just seems to want to bomb forward at any opportunity. The Marseille left-back is without doubt one of the top young players at the south-coast club. He has come a long way since making his Le Havre debut at just 17 years old and has Mendy has really enjoyed operating under the coaching of Marcelo Bielsa, who is very much to be considered one of the premier young talents in French football. an attack-minded manager. However just a little bit more discipline in his game could take him to an even higher level. Despite the fact that he has yet to celebrate his 21st birthday, and is only in his second season with OM, he has already been linked with moves away to some of the best clubs in The general consensus is that his future is incredibly bright. He should become a really great Europe. It may be a little too soon to think about his next move, but it is a testament to his player and is sure to end up at a big European club at some point in time. Whether he will eye-catching ability. ever become a truly world-class left-back remains to be seen, due to those defensive lapses. However, is the perfect example of succeeding in that situation; he too began On the physical front, Mendy is extremely impressive. It’s hard to find a single fault with him as a left-back and is now rubbing shoulders with some of football’s best players. in this department, which is obviously a key aspect for any wing-back. It’s often very hard to combine great pace and strength, but he has a fantastic all-round build. He will run tirelessly It must also be remembered that Mendy is still very young, despite two seasons’ worth of on the wings, both going forward and tracking back. His match engine and work ethic is Ligue 1 experience, so he still has bags of time to progress. Another two years of Ligue 1 second to none and he will persist with great stamina all the way until the last minute of football and his prospects will be rather dizzying. For now, he has to concentrate on ironing stoppage time. out the weaker points of his game. He is a true young stud of the current French game and Ligue 1 looks set to enjoy his talent for a while yet. It’s unclear whether or not Mendy would currently cope with the rigours of a more physical and demanding league. He does possess the pace and strength to match up well and it is hard to find fault in his physical attributes. However, Ligue 1 is not played at as high a pace as others and Mendy must learn to make the correct decisions at greater speed and to find the rightmendy balance between defence and attack. corentintolisso

improve with every step he takes: “I’ve scored four goals, but I’ve only delivered one assist, and that is not enough. In fact, in 25 Club: olympique lyonnais matches, I should have scored three goals more. I want to be a decisive midfielder”. Position: midfield In only his second league start, Lyon would go 1-0 down to DOB: 03.08.94 Bordeaux during Week 28’s game at the Stade Chaban Delmas. Henri Bedimo shocked the home side by equalising in the 91st Nat: french minute, but OL were not quite done. As Maxime Gonalons put in a cross from deep, Tolisso ghosted into the box, rose beautifully capped: france u21 and guided his header past Cedric Carrasso. The boy from Tarare had announced himself to Ligue 1.

This season, Tolisso has brought great balance to Fournier’s diamond midfield. With his ability to play almost anywhere on the pitch, including spells at left- and right-back, he is the perfect example of a two-way midfielder. Defensively excellent, his positioning helps protect down the left-flank; he can also team up with Gonalons through the middle. His passing seems to improve with every minute he plays, and with his confidence flourishing, so is his ability to pick out more decisive passes going forward.

Standing just under six feet tall, he doesn’t look quick on first glance, but he is deceptively Going into his first season with Olympique Lyonnais, the expectation was that Hubert fast in making his way up and down the pitch. As he grows, he is getting stronger physically Fournier would build his midfield around Gueida Fofana and Clement Grenier. However, and it is helping him improve his mobility. Corentin Tolisso had a different plan, and has taken advantage of the unfortunate injuries to his teammates. The kid who spent a whole year travelling to Lyon just to play one training In his quest to improve with every game, a reputation as a utility player may do him more match every week, is now one of the first names on the team-sheet. harm than good. Sometimes he will make a sideways pass, thinking defensively, when maybe a more clinical through ball is available. When he finds his true identity, one senses Tolisso is the perfect example of someone who trains hard, believes in himself and is that he is going to become even more crucial to how Lyon develop as a unit. Keeping always looking to improve from when he was just a boy looking for a break, to the France possession, pushing Lyon forward, and having the vision and read of the game to cover under-21 international he is today. He is a testament to the argument that if you are good when someone is out of position, are just some of his excellent traits. He will only get better enough, you are old enough. Persistence and striving to achieve his goals are paramount with time, adding scoring and assists to his list of attributes. to his success: “I did trials, I was spotted and I came every Wednesday for a year to play in training matches, before signing with the club.” Modesty is one of his greatest assets. When asked what would have happened if Lyon hadn’t suffered injuries, he was very honest: “I would have played less. But I would still have Looking at his journey, Tolisso is not an example of being picked up early and guided done everything to earn a starting spot. And, when everyone is back, I’ll do everything I through Lyon’s youth set-up. Joining Les Gones when he was 13 years old, he had to pay his can to keep playing.” Grenier and Fofana are going to have to work even harder to win back dues before getting that break and one can see that the steely determination that brought their places, and that in itself is the greatest compliment you can give to Corentin Tolisso. him opportunities as a kid has continued through and turned the 20-year-old into an important part of Fournier’s current Lyon team.

However, this doesn’t mean that he has made it and the work can stop. Interviews with the midfieldertolisso show a player who is always looking to analyse his game, and wants to bernardosilva

It was a huge decision for Silva to sign permanently with the Ligue 1 side. After joining Benfica when he was just eight years Club: as monaco old, the Lisbon-born midfielder spent 11 years in the club’s youth system. He was originally spotted by Benfica’s former youth Position: midfield coach, Helena Costa, who said he immediately stood out from the pack: “I remember looking at the pitch and saw a little player DOB: 10.08.94 with long hair who impressed everyone with his left foot. It was impossible not to see his talent. It is a gift.” Nat: portuguese Before going on loan, he had played a handful of games for capped: portugal Benfica’s first team, and the temptation would have been to see out the year in Monaco before trying again at his boyhood club. Benfica’s loss has definitely been Monaco’s gain and the Portuguese international has not only found his feet in France, but enjoyed an outstanding season, earning his four-and-a-half year deal.

On the pitch, Silva is a wonderfully dynamic midfielder with the ability to play anywhere in attack. He loves to drive his team forward and plays with his head up, looking to pick a pass, or find a gap to exploit. With his exquisite left foot, he often looks like he is gliding effortlessly across the pitch before showing excellent technique to link up with his teammates. It wasn’t a shock when AS Monaco sold James Rodriguez to Real Madrid for around €80 million last summer. No matter the project, a bid of near double what you paid is impossible It’s easy to label him an all-rounder, making it hard to pick out what he doesn’t do well. On to resist. What was more surprising was that there was no marquee signing to replace him. either side, or through the middle, he knows when to run with the ball and when to give Benfica’s Bernardo Silva almost ghosted into Leonardo Jardim’s squad without the media it up. Against Arsenal in the Champions League, faced with pressure in a tight situation, circus of the summer of 2013. he was able to pick out Yannick Ferreira Carrasco with a perfectly weighted through ball, knowing the Belgian winger had the pace to apply greater damage. Silva’s success, mostly flying under the radar, has been to adapt perfectly to life in France. The talk is no longer about the departure of James, but the blossoming career of the To improve one hopes that he will gain more confidence to believe in his abilities, showing a moustachioed little midfielder. more decisive edge, but that will come with time. As he grows up, so will his position in the team. It took a little time to settle into his new surroundings. Silva started only three of Monaco’s opening ten league games, where they picked up only 11 points, but he made an impact Silva will want to continue his progress with the Portugal set-up and with countrymen as les Monegasques won all three. Jardim took notice and Silva started 10 of the next 12 Marcos Lopes, Raphael Guerreiro and Anthony Lopes all excelling in Ligue 1, France is a games - they would lose only once. great place for him to be at this stage of his career. Vasilyev is keen to make Silva one of the foundations that Monaco build their squad around, and beside the likes of Ferreira The cat was definitely out of the bag and Monaco had almost no choice but to pay €15 Carrasco, Fabinho and Anthony Martial, the future in the principality is rather exciting. million to make his move permanent in January. Monaco’s vice president Vadim Vasilyev was clear in his admiration of Silva’s ability, saying “Bernardo is one of those talented young Monaco are building something special on the back of selling James, and if Silva continues players around whom AS Monaco is keen to build its future. He has already shown our fans to blossom, it won’t be long before they will need to knock back offers to double their profit his potentialsilva this season, and it was important for us to hold onto the player.” on their new midfield star. tiemouebakayoko

games in a row in at the turn of the year, but a thigh injury in the Coupe de France against Guingamp ruled him out for six weeks. Club: AS monaco The 20-year-old’s game is centred around his physical nature, Position: midfield with the ability to effectively break up the opposition’s attack before they get to the final third. He has shown superb aerial DOB: 17.08.94 presence, and it’s no surprise that Jardim has taken to the midfielder. Nat: french Other impressive attributes include well-timed and effective capped: france u21 tackles and intelligent interceptions, which often spark breaks, leading to chances for his teammates at the other end. He does everything one would want from a defensive midfielder, and he does it to the best of his young ability. It may have been a frustrating season, interrupted by injuries, but this hasn’t harmed his growing reputation too much.

It is no surprise, also, that a number of Premier League clubs have already begun circling around the midfielder. It’s often hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to rumours about young Ligue 1 talents, but there is no smoke without fire. It only serves to confirm that the right people are taking notice and that Bakayoko rightfully earns his place in any conversation about France’s talented youth. Since making his debut in August 2013, Tiemoue Bakayoko has had a whirlwind 18 months and shown that he has the potential to become one of the most impressive up-and-coming Rather than looking for a future away from Monaco, the next aim for Bakayoko should be to players in the French game. By moving to Monaco in the summer, the former Rennes find consistency in his fitness and performances. Injury has meant that his time on the pitch midfielder spurned the opportunity to build on an encouraging season with Rennes. has been severely limited in 2015, and while Monaco have been excelling in both the league Bakayoko clearly isn’t one to rest on his laurels. and Champions League, Bakayoko hasn’t been able to learn from this experience on the pitch. “Monaco is gaining momentum. [Moving] is a good thing, this is a new challenge,” opined the 20-year-old on the eve of his move. Choosing to transfer to the principality so soon was It’s no surprise that there are some deficiencies in his game – he can suffer from lapses in a brave move, and one which could yet go either way. Bakayoko has featured intermittently concentration which leave him vulnerable. There have been at least two clear occasions in his first season in Monaco, but the plaudits have come. He has played well in each where too much of an enterprising venture in the opposite half have left Monaco with a appearance in the 2014/15 season, and they have not been minor appearances, starting gaping space in midfield. To close the gap, Bakayoko resorts to the extreme, where a silly each one. Crucially, barring his debut in the first game of the season – where he only lasted tackle can earn him an unnecessary yellow, and in the case of the match against Saint 31 minutes due to injury – Monaco have not lost a game in which Bakayoko has featured. Etienne, a second yellow.

Les Monegasques are looking to build a side fuelled by youth and Bakayoko will certainly Whether Bakayoko can play with the big boys remains another question. In the Champions play a huge part at the heart of the project, but may have to wait until next season to League, he has only managed 181 minutes this season, so that will be a test for another day. really impose himself. Although he has already shown signs of improvement, it has been a However, given more exposure to the competition, there is little doubt he will be able to disjointed campaign for the Franco-Ivorian. adapt. As highlighted in his move to Monaco this summer, Bakayako isn’t one to turn down a challenge. Injured in the opening day defeat to Lorient, he didn’t make his comeback until October’s 1-1 drawbakayo at PSG. It looked like he was set for a long run in the team when he started five morgansanson

season as Montpellier finished fifteenth. He then won a call-up for the under-21s for Euro qualifying, scoring against Kazakhstan, Club: but spending the gutting second-leg play-off defeat to Sweden on the bench. Position: midfield This season, he has been even more crucial, starting almost DOB: 18.08.94 every game, his ‘minutes played’ record a string of 90s, with five goals and four assists by Week 30. Nat: french Montpellier still require all outfield players to be polyvalent, but capped: france u21 this is little problem for Sanson as he makes key contributions whether playing centrally, in a more advanced role, or on the right wing. Three of his goals have come from rapid charges cutting into the centre to latch onto a ball from the left, the most characteristic of which was in the 4-0 away mauling of Rennes in early December, in which he also returned the favour by putting through Mounier for the fourth.

The destruction of Rennes finally made Montpellier’s attacking stats look almost as impressive as their defence’s. The team’s offensive problems had seen them yo-yo-ing around the table, including some nervy weeks in the bottom half, but from there they pushed on, and started 2015 with a great run. That uptick in form coincided with Sanson Morgan Sanson is a product of Le Mans’ academy, which he joined at 15, going on to play 28 really bedding into the season – after a goal and an assist in the first three matches, he had games and score three goals in his first professional season (2012/13) when the club were in gone relatively quiet, until bouncing back, and he has notched three of each since that big Ligue 2. As financial difficulties hit, Le Mans needed money and their promising midfielder, win in Rennes. already capped for France under-19s, was a good asset. Sanson came to Montpellier in the summer of 2013, for only €700,000, which even at the time looked like some astute A stats round-up by Montpellier at the halfway point showed him as a vital cog in their business from MHSC. passing game along with . However, he was also putting in crosses such that he was level with , one of Montpellier’s most potent attacking threats this Initially, he came in as potential cover for Remy Cabella, around whom transfer talk was season. As well as that, he was making more dribbles, more tackles, and winning more duels already building. As things turned out, he quickly established himself in the team alongside (admittedly not duels aériens) than anyone else. – or slightly behind – the MHSC playmaker. This was reminiscent of how Cabella had played himself into the first team; originally cover for Younes Belhanda, being his customary This is the key to Sanson. He has a maturity and a flexibility that would be admirable in a replacement in the title-winning season, he ended up appearing alongside him in the player many years his senior, able to adapt to different positions, and make both attacking, second half of the 2012/13 season. holding, and defensive contributions. Montpellier have lost a lot of key players in the past couple of years but they didn’t have the breadth or balance of impact that Sanson has. He’s Sanson, however, was not a like-for-like switch for Cabella. As well as being comfortable in a terrier, yes, a hard worker, but also with a lovely touch, and a great understanding with a range of attacking midfield positions, he was also adept further back, demonstrating an the players around him. ability to win the ball and charge forward from a deeper position, as well as putting in shifts on either wing as necessary.

In his first season with La Paillade, therefore, Sanson played 36 matches in the league and both sansoncups, getting two assists and a goal, and was a definite bright point in an otherwise iffy wylancyprien

Kombouaré is an excellent judge of character and a coach adept Club: rc lens at getting the best out of a limited group of players, as well as helping to nurture young talent. He is a great admirer of Cyprien, Position: midfield despite the pair having had some issues as the youngster comes to terms with life as a professional. DOB: 28.01.95 “He listens well and is very disciplined. He can defend, but is also Nat: french able to contribute going forward in support of the attackers,” Kombouare observed earlier this season. “That is where he capped: france u19 can best show his quality, notably his shooting ability. He can be robust in the physical battles and he is the youngster that I am keeping my eye on, because he is never far from doing something foolish. He takes things forward in midfield. He struggled physically after a good start to the season and needs to bulk up a bit, but must also take care with his lifestyle.”

Those comments about Cyprien’s physical struggles perhaps explain why he found himself out of the starting eleven for a run of games in December, starting three consecutive league games as a substitute. However, if that was Kombouaré teaching his young charge a lesson, it certainly worked. The young midfielder scored on his return to action against Nice and helped to secure a rare win. Despite a miserable season off the pitch, young midfielder Wylan Cyprien has been one of few reasons for beleaguered RC Lens fans to smile. The 20-year-old, hailing from Les Cyprien is a gifted player with a bright future ahead of him, but Lens may well struggle to Abymes in the French département of Guadeloupe, was picked up from Paris FC’s youth keep him past this summer. If les Sang et Or go down, which looks nailed-on whether it is academy in 2012 and finished his footballing education at the club’s famed la Gaillette forced or a natural consequence of their difficult season, a number of the club’s best young centre of excellence. The promotion of youth has been one of precious few positives for les talents will go. Promising right-back Dimitri Cavaré has already joined Stade Rennais and Sang et Or on their largely disastrous return to the top-flight after a three-year absence and there will be others who follow him out of the door. few have shown as much promise as Cyprien. If Cyprien does decide to leave Lens, he would do well to consider developing for a couple Primarily a right-footed central midfielder, the French under-19 international starlet excels more years in Ligue 1 rather than thinking of a move abroad. However, assuming that Lens in a central midfield three, in front and to the right of a more defence-minded destroyer. begin next campaign in Ligue 2, perhaps the best decision that the youngster can make in Cyprien is fast, passes well and possesses the sort of technique one would expect from a order to ensure that he progresses is to remain at the club for at least a season more. graduate of one of French football’s most accomplished finishing schools. Tackling and the defensive aspects of the game are not his strong points, but he is creative and blessed with a neat first touch as well as good vision.

Cyprien has also demonstrated that he has an eye for goal, scoring an early contender for goal of the season with a thumping drive in a 4-2 home win over Stade de Reims back in August and then a well-taken effort in a 2-0 home success against OGC Nice in December. The goals were scored with different feet and helped to secure two precious wins for Antoine Kombouaré’s men. Cyprien’s assist for Pablo Chavarría in the same Reims game also demonstratedcyprien his ability to use both pegs. georges-kevinn koudou

This season he has continued to trouble defences with his pace. Club: fc nantes At home against Lyon in the league, he showed Bakary Kone a clean pair of heels and the defender had almost no other option Position: midfield but to bring him down for a penalty.

DOB: 13.02.95 It’s not just his pace that makes him a nightmare, but his upper- body strength and athleticism that helps him impose his will Nat: french down the flanks. Once he is in front of you, even if you do have the pace, N’Koudou makes it very hard for you to get back in capped: france u21 front of him.

The right-footed winger prefers to play on the left of Nantes’ midfield, giving him the option to cut inside and threaten through the centre. Coach Michel Der Zakarian has urged him to play wider, varying his attacks to keep defenders guessing. Although he feels more secure on his right, staff at the club noted that he is almost better at crossing with his left foot. His goal against Evian showed the confidence he has on his left: Serge Gakpe’s cross from the right found N’Koudou through the centre and instead of trying to take it with his right, he opened up his body and finished with his weaker foot.

Early in the season, he scored an absolutely tremendous goal against Guingamp at the Like so many young footballers born in the Ile-de-France region of the country, either Paris Beaujoire. Attacking the space left by his teammates, he met the ball first-time, curling it Saint-Germain fail to spot the player’s potential, or they don’t realise what they’ve got until high into the top corner with his right foot. It showed confidence, ability and a touch of it’s gone. Born in Versailles, Georges-Kévin N’Koudou would play for the famous ‘Petits class. He is still only 20, but it is that confidence that he needs to show on a more consistent Anges’ club in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, but after two years in their academy, PSG let him basis, and N’Koudou knows it: “I’m happy... well, let’s say satisfied, because when I was in go. Their loss has definitely been FC Nantes’ gain, and the 20-year-old winger is quickly the youth team I was told I had to improve my end product,” he said. “So I’ve worked hard becoming one of Ligue 1’s rising stars. on shooting and playing those final balls.”

Before making his move to Nantes, N’Koudou, just like fellow winger Allan Saint-Maximin, With only one assist this season, his productivity needs to improve. N’Koudou loves to take spent time at Parisian side Boulogne-Billancourt. Les Canaris would then win a fight with on his man, and he does it with a smile on his face, but it’s the old adage of knowing when northern club Lille to bring the 16-year-old into their youth set-up. Quickly he impressed the to pass, when to dribble and then having the confidence of his own convictions. club enough to give him a professional contract and on the first day of the 2013/14 season, the 18-year-old made a brief debut against Bastia. N’Koudou has said that Der Zakarian has told him to take the handbrake off and let himself go, something that is all too rare in youth development in France. When N’Koudou starts It wouldn’t take him long to score his first goal. Already 1-0 up against Lorient in the early to believe in himself a little bit more, and heeds the advice of his coach, the winger with stages of the Coupe de la Ligue, N’Koudou raced to the back post, tucking away Olivier pace to burn and the ability to finish is going to become a wonderfully dangerous player to Veigneau’s cross. It was his blistering pace that made the goal possible, with Lorient’s watch. Pedrinho almost shocked to see the winger there when he turned around.

“In the first two or three metres, he has the incredible capacity to explode”, said Samuel Fenillat, the director of Nantes’ training centre. “More importantly, he is able to maintain his speed.nkoudou He can make these high-intensity runs over and over. It is very rare.” mouezhassen

has been recognised on an international level too: he has represented France at every age group from under-16 to -20, and Club: ogc nice just been picked for the under-21 squad for the first time, while Tunisia, for whom he also qualifies, continues to flirt with him. Position: goalkeeper Hassen has all of the skills that one looks for in a goalkeeper. DOB: 05.03.95 He is an excellent shot-stopper who, despite his height, can get down very quickly to save low shots effectively. When in Nat: french the junior ranks, Hassen said that one of his strong points is communication. With the step up to the professionals he capped: france u21 perhaps needs to be a little more authoritative, in terms of both instructing his defenders and commanding his area and making crosses his own. These are, however, common weaknesses for inexperienced goalkeepers that will no doubt improve with time, and, as Nice have suffered this season, one feels that Hassen personally as well as the team in general, could have benefitted from a reliable, authoritative figure such as Renato Civelli in front of him. Still, despite some shaky periods, including three weeks out of the side in December which “allowed me to question myself and to work on my weak points”, Hassen continues to learn and improve and the fans are patient.

The old adage goes that you have to be mad to be a goalkeeper. No one ever says that you Malaspina has spoken of how Hassen sees things quicker than others and his greatest have to be old or experienced, but it is rare to find a rookie, let alone a teenager, providing strengths are his speed off the line, enabling him to cut off danger at source, along with his the last line of defence for teams in the top flight of the big five leagues. There are some seeming imperviousness to pressure. The last two Nice keepers, and Ospina, notable exceptions however, including Buffon in Italy, Casillas in Spain and Landreau in Ligue both became local heroes after precocious starts and it is no coincidence that they have the 1: great role models for Nice’s Number 1, Mouez Hassen. same two strong points. These are skills that are nurtured at the club, under the tutelage of ex-international and goalkeeping coach Lionel Letizi, of whom Hassen says “before matches As les Aiglons prepared to embark on their current Ligue 1 campaign, coach Claude Puel had he reassures me and asks me to remain calm and follow my instincts”. Hassen acknowledges to make a call as to who would be his new starting goalkeeper, having moved that this has at times led to errors but the club continues to encourage him as do the on to Arsenal. It was generally expected that Joris Delle, back from his loan spell in Belgium, supporters, understanding the tough job that he has had this season and appreciating that would take up the role, with then 19-year-old Hassen serving as his understudy. teething problems will likely be outweighed by long-term benefits.

However, a serious pre-season injury ruled Delle out for six months, giving Puel a dilemma. Hassen’s illustrious predecessors were two of the goalkeeping stars of last year’s World Cup, Characteristically the coach decided to give youth its chance and, despite signing the amongst strong competition from others, some of whom also came from Ligue 1. Mouez experienced Simon Pouplin, he appointed Hassen his new number one, making him the Hassen is in the perfect place to pursue his education and, if he continues to learn, he too youngest starting keeper this season in the big five leagues. may become an international star in the years to come.

Originally impressing as an outfield player, it was only at the age of 13 that Hassen tried his luck between the posts, at the suggestion of Nice’s youth development goalkeeping coach Thierry Malaspina. He has barely looked back since. In 2012 he helped Nice to win the Coupe Gambardella alongside Jordan Amavi and Alexy Bosetti. In September 2013 he madehassen his debut at only 18, going on to play six matches last season. His ability and potential adrienrabiot

PSG have a preferred midfield three that takes some shifting, Club: paris saint-germain in , Marco Verratti and ; however, they are still fighting on four fronts, and the only other central Position: midfield midfielder on the roster is the frequently injured and otherwise largely underwhelming Yohan Cabaye. may also DOB: 03.04.95 have dibs on a more advanced role, but given PSG’s usual set-up, there is the opportunity there for the tall, languid midfielder to Nat: french get good game-time.

capped: france u21 Given the PSG attack, goals might not necessarily be thought to be in the job description, but behind the two big guns is the fact that an astonishing 17 players have scored for PSG this season, with only three regular outfield players failing to hit the mark. Rabiot isn’t one of them. He scored PSG’s second before they went down 4-2 at Bastia, combining with Javier Pastore to capitalise on poor play out from the back, charging into the area to fire home after Pastore was bundled off the ball. Then he notched a brace against Toulouse in a 3-1 win, the first a wonderful strike from the edge of the area as Ibrahimovic backheeled Pastore’s cross back to Rabiot, shadowing the attack; the second a close-range side-foot after Pastore had nearly reduced the Téfécé defence to tears. Given Paris Saint-Germain’s issues with Financial Fair Play, Adrien Rabiot’s value to the squad is two-fold: not simply his existing skill and undoubted potential as a central What impresses about Rabiot is his maturity on the pitch: Verratti might be the PSG midfielder, but also his status as a homegrown player. After a loan to Toulouse in the second youngster receiving most of the plaudits, and rightly so, but while he combines epic skill half of the 2012/13 season, where he made a dozen starts, he was brought back into the with the occasional red mist episode, Rabiot seems much more measured. Tall and willowy, capital fold to make 34 appearances in the following season. At the same time, having he is clearly stronger than he looks; while he glides around in classic style, he can also established himself as a key player in the France under-19s, he made the step up to les get stuck in with the best of them, coming in with key tackles and interceptions, and an Espoirs aged only 18. Everything was looking rosy. extremely strong passing game. His international appearances give a glimpse of the player he could become as he further adjusts to senior football: running the show from midfield. The beginning of the current season was less impressive, however. It took until the 5th of November – PSG’s 18th competitive match of the season – for him to even make the bench, Given the squad restrictions, and the fact that the ongoing transfer rumours mostly connect and another two weeks for him to play for his club, in a 3-2 win away at Metz. PSG with attacking players, Rabiot should have the chance to come good on this promise. He needs to make sure that next season is the one where he establishes himself full-time in The reason for this was contract negotiations: clearly aware of his value to a squad affected the rotation, and pushes on. by UEFA-imposed size limitations, Rabiot’s agent – his mother – was widely blamed for pushing for a salary increase above the (large) offer made the club. PSG didn’t blink, stashing Rabiot ‘in the cupboard’ until the extension was finally hammered out.

Since then he has been alternating start and substitute appearances in the league, and been a preferred starter in the Coupe de France, but those three months in the wilderness are both a waste in terms of his development, and a worrying gap on the CV when it comes to any futurerabiot move. divockorigi

Now one of the players expected to lead the line, things have Club: lille osc been more difficult this season. After scoring three in the first eight games, Origi went into March against Rennes having not Position: forward found the net since October – a penalty against Wolfsburg in the Europa League. Rumours in January that Liverpool might DOB: 18.04.95 call in his loan early may have unsettled him, but problems were apparent well before that. Nat: belgian This is not entirely Origi’s fault. Lille don’t score much, and capped: belgium often aren’t really set up to do so; despite the best efforts of Rony Lopes and now Sofiane Boufal, the midfield can be more concerned with holding than attacking, with sporadic service to the front line. This means that efficiency is key, which takes experience – Rene Girard was making noises about needing a proven striker, an older head, in January, but nobody came in (Kalou played that role last season), and it must be remembered that Origi is still only 19.

The hat-trick in that game against Rennes when Lille did play more expansively shows that he is capable of spearheading the attack, but whether he can do it consistently – and the set-up will maximise his chances of doing it – is the question. One gets the feeling that he will flourish with a new challenge in a new league, in a team full of creative players and with As senior debuts go, coming off the bench to score an equaliser is a good way to announce a more attack-minded manager. yourself to the league. Divock Origi had been on the pitch only minutes against Troyes in the 2012/13 season when he crashed home a header at the far post, setting up a run of When looking at his goals, the phrase ‘edge of the area’ often springs to mind – Origi has a substitute appearances in the run-in. fine shot on him, and favours low lashing strikes from a distance, often catching defenders off-guard before they can get organised. There are also a couple of headers in the mix, He moved up to being a regular first-team player with 35 appearances in 2013/14 (15 including against Sochaux last season where he went for it despite nearly being kicked in the starts), scoring six goals and laying on two assists, supporting and Nolan head by Simon Kjaer, and close-range finishes where he evades defenders to pounce. He has Roux. With Kalou sold in summer 2014, a place opened up in the selection and Origi speed and agility, and presence, particularly in the air. stepped right in. Origi is also very comfortable playing the ball on the ground, is fond of a long solo run, and That summer there was another, more surprising, opportunity for the young centre- has good balance. Against Valenciennes last season, a cross from Kalou came in just behind forward. After scoring 10 in 19 for Belgium’s under-19s, he played once for the under-21s him – he somehow managed to not fall over as he slammed on the brakes to retrieve the before being called up to the senior squad. He played in all their World Cup matches in ball and score with a shot from…guess where? Brazil, scored the winner against , laid on the assist for the winner against South Korea, and started both knock-out games. He has held onto his place in the squad since, The prognosis is good for his move to Liverpool, where if he gets a run of games with more with three starts and a substitute appearance in Belgium’s qualifiers for France 2016. service than at present, this will improve both his goal tally and shooting efficiency.

If 2013/14 was impressive, his showing at the World Cup meant that the cat was well and truly out of the bag, and another opportunity arose. Liverpool came in with a £10m offer, but in a positive move for Origi’s development, he was loaned back to Lille to continue his progressionorigi before making the move to the Premier League. jean-philippegbamin

issue with Gbamin’s play. Sometimes, completely out of the blue, he will make a mistake and put his team under pressure, which Club: rc lens can feel like a random act and unnecessary. He’s proven himself to be fairly competent for the most part, but there always seems Position: defence to be at least one ‘moment of madness’ throughout a 90-minute stint on the field. DOB: 25.05.95 He can also be vulnerable in the air, which might seem strange Nat: french for a centre-back. Height isn’t the issue; it’s more to do with technique and timing a jump. On the positive side, however, he capped: france u21 has great pace, a really strong work ethic and a great engine. He has the ability to suddenly inject energy into the team, propelling them forward. This quality is perhaps diminished when he’s playing the centre-back role, but when operating from midfield or right-back he can really help push the pace.

At this stage of his career, there are still a number of pros and cons associated with Gbamin’s ability. However, it must be remembered he’s still only 19 and has a long career ahead of him. When you consider this fact it’s difficult to criticise him too much and he has bags of time to develop. He has originated from a club which has a great history of developing young talent, many of whom have moved on to bigger and better things. While he may not be one of the headline talents currently blossoming in Ligue 1, Jean- Philippe Gbamin is a very bright prospect who certainly deserves to be monitored closely It will be interesting to see what will happen to him if Lens are relegated this season. Ligue over the coming year. The most striking fact about this player is that he’s already started 2 would perhaps be a step down for him; ideally he needs to be playing top-flight football to over 60 games for Lens, an impressive feat considering he won’t turn 20 until the start of continue his development in a positive manner. next season. He was thrown in at the deep end very young, and in a few years that decision could be a move that benefits both the defender and his club. Even with all the obvious talent Gbamin has, his future is still unclear. As with a lot of young players, he is at a crossroads. It is clear he has potential, but perhaps there are better young Gbamin made his debut at just 17 during the 2012/13 season. The start of a huge learning players in his position. It will take another couple of years to see what his full potential could curve, it is a match that he may want to forget as Lens lost it 7-0 to Guingamp. The following be, but where he is playing and how often he is on the pitch will go a long way to deciding season was much more memorable as he became a regular in what was a promotion- his fate. All too often, young promise turns into an average Ligue 1 player; the next couple winning team, and his versatility has proven very useful to Lens. of years will determine whether or not Gbamin goes the right way and grows into a great defender. He is known primarily as a centre-back, but has a number of strings to his bow. He is equally adept playing on the right-hand side of defence or, to a lesser extent, defensive or central midfield. In fact, for most of last season he was forced to play secondary roles due to a high number of injuries.

This campaign he has been able to experience Ligue 1 for the first time. Unfortunately, it has been a struggle for him at times, but in many ways this was to be expected. He has been part of a fairly poor Lens team battling against relegation, and numerous other off-field issues,gbamin which is hardly the best of environments. Concentration seems to be the biggest corentinjean

Despite not catching the eye as much in his second season, it was clear the club knew what they had. Early on, Furlan purred Club: estac troyes “What he could do at just 17 is not common, and believe me…I’ve seen a lot of players!” At the beginning of the 2014/15 Position: forward season Jean began to show what all the excitement was all about. In the opening eight games the young striker made five DOB: 15.07.95 starts, scoring five times. Strangely, none of his 10 goals this season have come when he has appeared off the bench, but it Nat: French helps analyse the type of player he has become.

capped: france u21 Playing over 90 minutes, there is a very good chance that for 88-89 minutes the 19-year-old might look quiet or struggling to get involved, but he is waiting. Lying in the grass, looking for the moment the defenders let their guard down. Playing on the shoulder of the last man, he has the intelligence and positional skills to make sure he is ready to pounce on any opportunity.

Four of his goals this season have come in the opening 10 minutes of games. If you are defender, you have to start the game ready for a battle. His speed and ability to play across the front-line make him a constant nuisance. If you are not alert to the situation, any slip and Jean is on to it in a flash. Bigger more powerful defenders can’t even force him onto his weaker foot, as he has confidence and the ability to score from either side. He’s that itch If we are talking about football as being the most primal of sports, Troyes striker Corentin you just can’t scratch. Jean would likely pick a cheetah as his spirit animal. Like the apex predator, he is patient and calculating, waiting for his opportunity to strike. Let your guard down for just a split second Although he is small - 170cm - he seems to use it to his advantage, just as Troyes under-17 and he will pounce, and as most of the Ligue 2 defenders have found out, you won’t even coach, Philippe Pinson said: “he is not very big but has very high acceleration capability. In see it coming. the first five metres, he is amazing.” One downside of his size is that it limits how Troyes can line up. He is not very adept at holding the ball up, so more often than not, he needs a As debuts go, Jean doesn’t do things by half. In his very first professional game for the club, partner, rather than playing centrally in a 4-3-3. the 17-year-old scored against Rennes in the Coupe de la Ligue, but ultimately ESTAC would lose the game 2-1. Fast forward to his first game in Ligue 1, which would again come against Despite his shortcomings, Jean is developing into the ideal triple threat. Inside the box he the Breton side, but this time the only thing Jean saw was a red card. has the pace and movement to get in amongst the larger defenders, taking away his height disadvantage. His positioning and great sense of timing mean he is capable of getting his An erratic start, but at just 17 years old it was all a learning curve. The majority of his head onto crosses too. Then, as he showed against GFCO Ajaccio, stand off him and he has debut season would see him play from the bench, but as Troyes struggled to get out of the the ability to shoot from distance with devastating effect. relegation zone, Jean started five straight games. He scored three goals, but the side from the Champagne region couldn’t stave off relegation. It’s hard not to get excited about the potential of the France under-21 striker. Troyes know what they have got and with promotion back to Ligue 1 on the cards, soon the young For a player like Jean it should have been an ideal situation. However, last season, before cheetah will be unleashed on some more unsuspecting victims. the Christmas break, he had only played 245 minutes, making one start. He finished the seasonjean with five goals, not the progress he or Jean-Marc Furlan would have hoped for. anthonymartial

Already part of France’s under-21 squad, Martial has matured Club: as monaco on the pitch this season. If the end of 2014 was positive, the start of 2015 built on that promise. France have had concerns Position: FORWARD for the future of their international strikers for a number of years now, and Martial looks to be one of the best young forwards DOB: 05.12.95 the country has produced; under Jardim’s guidance, his future is bright. Nat: french His maturity was confirmed in a stellar month in March 2015. CAPPED: FRANCE U21 Jardim’s trust and patience had grown to such an extent that Martial made a Champions League start against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. A hugely impressive game saw him pick up an assist in the 3-1 win over the Gunners.

This was followed by four goals in three Ligue 1 fixtures – against Evian, Bastia and Reims – which solidified his starting role within the side, and also put Monaco back in contention for the Ligue 1 title. Such was his impact, it justified Monaco not letting go of their young starlet in the summer.

Martial started the last 12 months as a young, and probably too naïve, striker on the At times last year it was suggested that Anthony Martial might be better served moving periphery of a Monaco side that still contained the likes of Falcao and James Rodriguez. out on loan to another Ligue 1 club to earn some playing time, before honing his skills at His performances, alongside a nucleus of talented youngsters this season have helped Monaco. Then 18, the young striker was still coming to terms with his unprecedented, and comfortably to ease the loss of the Colombian duo. surprising, €5m move from Lyon. Monaco made it to March still playing on three fronts, and Martial has made an impact as Now a year older, and most definitely wiser, Martial’s rise to stardom is gathering pace, and Monaco qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the latter stages of he has managed to show that staying to fight for his place at Monaco was the right move. In the Coupe de France. The young striker still has a large part to play, although he showed the last 12 months, the 19-year-old has developed from one for the future, to one for right against Bastia – when Monaco were eliminated on penalties in the Coupe de la Ligue – that now, becoming Monaco’s second striker in the process. he still has to find extra depths of stamina. That will come from time and games, however.

It could have been different under Leonardo Jardim. With Champions League football At still only 19 years old, Martial is already considerably ahead of his peers. France are returning to the Stade Louis II, one could have been forgiven for thinking that Dimitry lucky to have such a young striker who is getting a taste of top-level domestic and European Rybolovlev and co. would opt for a tried and tested European striker to partner Dimitar football. The future is bright. Berbatov in the charge for European glory. With Lacina Traore lower in the pecking order, Jardim has resorted to trusting and nurturing youth – something which he has replicated across the field at La Turbie, Monaco’s famed training ground.

Martial has made great strides in the 2014/15 season, after an indifferent start to the campaign. The fuse was lit in Monaco’s game against PSG, in which Martial, coming off the bench, struck very late to earn a point for the visitors. Slowly and surely, the young striker built martialup playing time, before being handed more starting roles towards Christmas. ronylopes

they “have everything you need to become a football player. It is a really good club for the development of young players.” Club: LILLE OSC Trust is obviously an important factor for the playmaker. Vieira Position: MIDFIELD made him the captain of City’s youth team because he had complete faith in him, which is exactly the reason why he has DOB: 28.12.95 said he has no problem staying at Lille for another season.

Nat: BRAZILIAN René Girard has given him extra responsibilities on the pitch and Lopes feels he has gained the trust of his new coach. Both Vieira capped: PORTUGAL u21 and Girard’s confidence has made Lopes believe that he can be better and that he can improve.

Lille’s main problem this season is that they have not been able to use Lopes as often as they would have liked. “He can make a difference at any moment. He’s got raw talent,” said Girard when asked about the playmaker. Instantly you can see he is a number 10. Whether he drifts left or right, he is always looking for space. Even at just 19, he wants the ball, he wants to dictate the play and he craves the pressure of being the player the team can rely on.

When he has the ball, Lopes’ first instinct is to look to create, but he won’t hold back in At the start of this season, René Girard threw Marcos Lopes straight into the Lions’ Den. trying to finish off his own move. He is not afraid to have an attempt on goal: he showed Drawing 0-0 with newly promoted FC Metz, the 18-year-old loanee made his debut with 24 against Lyon his ability to run with the ball, the strength to hold off Maxime Gonalons and minutes to go. Although the game would end goalless, the Lille fans instantly knew they had then the superb skill on his left foot to finish beautifully into the bottom corner. been given something very special. After eight straight appearances to start the season, the midfielder picked up a hamstring Lille made the move to secure “Rony” Lopes on a season-long loan from Manchester City, strain against Bastia. He would return in Week 12 against Saint-Etienne and help set up with Mikkel Beck – the player’s agent – a former Lille striker, convincing the player of the Michael Frey for the home side’s only goal in a 1-1 draw. Unfortunately, he would then virtues of the city and the club. injure the troublesome hamstring before the half-time break.

It seems Lopes was always destined for greatness from an early age. His family moved from Two months would pass before Lille were able to safely put Lopes back on the field without Brazil to Portugal when he was only four years old, and when his local team saw that he worry of aggravating the injury. During his absence the midfielder began to doubt himself, could kick the ball further than the older players, they wanted him to come on board, but wondering what he did wrong to deserve another injury. It is that desire to always be better, he couldn’t officially play for them until he was seven. to look for flaws and strive to become a better player that will get him to the top.

At training, he would turn up for most sessions wearing his yellow No. 9 Brazil jersey, Eden Hazard, Kader Keita, Dimitri Payet…Marcos “Rony” Lopes? Over the past 10 years, Lille emulating one of his idols, Ronaldo, and the kids would call him after his hero. However, fans have become accustomed to having a player who gets them up off their seats, and in his coach joked that he was too small to be Ronaldo, so labelled him “Rony”; the name has his very first season, the talented Portuguese teenager has won the hearts and minds of stuck ever since. everyone at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. The fans’ only hope is that they can convince Lopes to stay for another season, as this is one young superstar they are not ready to say goodbye to In just two years at City, he quickly stood out from the crowd and was voted the best player just yet. in thelopes Elite Development Squad. Lopes was quick to praise the set-up at City, saying that arnaudlusamba

Although he has played in the three midfield roles, at this stage in his development it seems that the defensive role is not quite Club: as NANCY the fit for him, as he lacks height and strength.

Position: MIDFIELD Lusamba’s technical ability, excellent first touch and willingness to shoot from either foot suggest that he has the potential to DOB: 04.01.97 become an effective offensive midfielder and he has five goals to his name this season, three of which ensured points for his Nat: french team and a fourth, against Angers, was a 35-yard lob over the goalkeeper. He has also appeared as a winger, using his speed CAPPED: FRANCE U18 and crossing ability to good effect. Perhaps the fact that his role model is suggests offensive midfield is the position towards which he is leaning.

However, his skill-set arguably best suits the central midfield role. His speed and stamina make him an excellent box-to-box midfielder, also using his innate sense of positioning to anticipate when to come back to cover the defence and when to time his run to be on hand to support the attack. His touch and passing range mean that he rarely concedes possession, and he has spoken of how he likes to think about the collective, rather than the personal. He is also an adept set-piece taker – something that he is working to improve upon, confirming that he takes out 10-15 minutes a day to work on his free kicks. A little over 40 years ago, Metz rejected a young starlet by the name of . He went on to wear the number 10 shirt for Nancy before having a reasonably successful Thanks to his precocious rise, time is on his side, and the French national set-up has also career with Saint-Etienne, Juventus and France. The omens are good for AS Nancy-Lorraine’s marked out Lusamba (who also qualifies to play for the Democratic Republic of Congo) as current number 10 and Metz youth academy hopeful Arnaud Lusamba. a prospect. Capped for the under-16s and the under-17s, the youngster already has three under-18 caps – and was given the captain’s armband on his debut, a testament to his Leaving the town of his birth to move to the Lorrain neighbours was perhaps a blessing in maturity for one so young. The softly-spoken, self-aware Lusamba took the honour in his disguise for Lusamba, as Nancy is quietly becoming one of France’s most productive youth stride, saying “being captain makes me proud. The onus is on me to go and speak to my set-ups. The young midfielder has risen through the ranks since joining the academy at 12, team-mates. As I am shy, this role is helping me to open up”. and played his first CFA2 matches for the reserves at the tail end of last season. Lusamba is not getting carried away and seems to have his feet firmly on the ground, saying His performances impressed Nancy coach Pablo Correa sufficiently to hand the then that his priority is still to pass his science baccalauréat, as “you never know what might 17-year-old a professional debut as a starter in the first match of this season against Dijon. happen next”. His older team-mates also acknowledge his potential, Lossemy Karaboué Lusamba excelled, scoring his team’s only goal, and signed his first professional contract noting that “he has an excellent mentality, well brought up and respectful. Arnaud could two weeks later. That match was no beginner’s luck and he has been a regular starter for les have a great career”. Chardons this season, establishing himself as the youngest first-teamer in Ligue 2. The links to Platini may follow him throughout his time at Nancy but, wherever in the Asked recently which position he plays, Lusamba replied “from defensive midfield to midfield he decides to flourish, expect Arnaud Lusamba to be the centre of attention for offensive midfield, via central midfield”. Indeed, he is so versatile that he took over the years to come. goalkeeper’s jersey for France’s under-17s after a sending-off versus Ukraine – and saved a penaltylusamba with his first touch! allansaint-maximin

“The carefreeness of his age gives him his strength,” club captain Loic Perrin pointed out last October, shortly after Saint-Maximin Club: saint-etienne had started his first two games for Sainté. “He is a player steeped with talent.” Position: forward It seems that the confidence the youngster possesses comes DOB: 12.03.97 from his parents. While his mother maintains that her son boasts an IQ of 145, enough to be qualified as a genius by most marks, Nat: french his father, Alex, has been forever convinced of his son’s abilities. “I saw that he had something special when he walked for the capped: france u17 first time. He was always a step ahead of the other children, whether that was in speech or motor skills.”

Self-assurance, it seems, is something not in short supply in the Saint-Maximin family. Yet this is something that makes the prodigy a joy to watch; regardless of his success, his very audacity will light up a game. Should he fail once, he has a mentality that allows him to forget recent history and try again completely anew. Positive comparisons with Milan’s Jeremy Menez have been drawn as a result.

“For him, nothing is impossible,” quipped Bertrand Rebours, head of AC Boulogne- Billancourt where Saint-Maximin played before Saint-Etienne. “You will never hear him say: From the youth academy that has produced talents such as , Josuha ‘I can’t do that.’ Even if he is surrounded by three players, he’ll try something. He is afraid of Guilavogui and, perhaps most impressively, Kurt Zouma, there is a fresh talent burgeoning nothing.” down in the Rhone-Alpes region of France. This single-mindedness is the reason he is at Saint-Etienne. Paris Saint-Germain courted Following a handful of appearances in Saint-Etienne’s first team during 2013/14, Allan Saint- him as a 13-year-old, but despite being born in the south-west of the capital and having Maximin has since established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in France. The been offered a very substantial non-solicitation fee, this was an offer he ultimately rejected. third-youngest player to turn out for the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard club in history, he is a Saint-Etienne were there to claim the prize of the youngster’s signature, reportedly in a player who is very highly regarded at the Loire side. deal worth a mere fraction of what PSG were prepared to offer. Progression was key to the decision, and the entourage of the player thought that this would come about quicker with With a shock of bleached-blonde dreadlocked hair, the son of a Guyanese chauffeur and Les Verts. a Guadeloupean headmistress is a figure who is as eye-catching for his appearance as for his footballing abilities. This outrageous haircut, however, very much reflects his on- So far, they have been proven correct – and a great future for Saint-Maximin is now widely field personality. Undoubtedly his most startling attribute is his blistering pace. Explosive predicted. “I can tell you that Allan will become a star,” remarked agent Jean-Pierre Bernes. over short distances, the young attacker is also capable of maintaining such a level over “He’s a rough diamond, a very mature guy with well thought-out ambitions.” long periods of time and in his schooldays was even regional cross country and decathlon champion. A muscular injury has rather stalled the 2014/15 season for the 18-year-old, but despite only a handful of league performances to his name, he has attracted the attentions of This turn of speed has been most notable when deployed on the wing by head coach several major European clubs, with Arsenal most notably on his trail. , who has also been left amazed by the confidence of his versatile young star, who can play anywhere across the forward line. Such self-belief has certainly made Saint-Etienne, however, have shown the importance of their charge by tying him down until othersaint-ma members of the squad take notice. 2019, by which time it is expected he will be a real star. le5010 to watch the writers

thank you to all the writers who made le50 possible this year

andrew gibney @gibney_a jeremy smith @jeremysmith98 Here are 10 players who could possibly break into next years list philippa booth @philby1976 - SM Caen jonathan johnson @jon_legossip - Stade Rennais rich allen @rich_allen85 Francois Kamano - SC Bastia robert smithson @_bobeto_ Baptiste Guillaume - RC Lens robin bairner @rbairner Maxwell Cornet - Olympique Lyonnais mohammed ali @mohammedali_93 Alexis Blin - Toulouse FC steve wyss @meatmansoccer Neal Maupay - OGC Nice Almamy Toure - AS Monaco we hope you enjoyed the 2015 edition of le50 Baptise Aloe - Olympique de Marseille Adama Traore - Lille OSC 2015