For a while now, Ligue 1 has been the hotbed for the next best talent to emerge on the world stage. Since 2015 alone, players like Anthony Martial, Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe, a certain Kylian Mbappe and many others. Ligue 1 is becoming the stepping stone for the best talent around the globe to make a move to the top 4 leagues. And it isn’t just now that the players are starting to emerge, Ronaldinho, Marcel Desailly, Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez are among just a few who have gone onto achieve great things with clubs all over the European continent.

Players like Eduardo Camavinga, Ryan Cherki, Boubacar Kamara, Boubakary Soumare among others have already been likened to many current world stars, and have established their image as wonderkid. Whether they can claim the potential that so many see in them, is a different question altogether. But despite so many young players of the division already on the radar of clubs across the continent, not many get the move that they deserve. There are others, who are deemed not good enough even when they have been consistently performing on the pitch because they aren’t well recognised and because they lack the glamour and appeal the higher profile players possess.

In today’s data analysis, we will take a look at players from different positions and pick the best player from them by analysing their data and statistics to deduce a sensible analysis.

Player in Focus – Mounir Chouiar

Age – 21 y.o.

Club – Dijon FCO

Position – Left-Winger

Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1593

Chouiar joined Dijon last summer from Lens for €10 million; he put in a decent performance last season, scoring four goals. His output was directly responsible for 15% of the club’s total output in a curtailed 19/20 season. But combined expected goals and assists predict his output to be close to 22% of the club’s total output as he had an xG+xA of 6.36 from just 1593 minutes, which puts his xA+xG/90 at 0.36, for a club which had an xG scored for last season at 28.8. an impressive statistic, and maybe a little unfortunate, given that he could have had a more significant say had he performed as his expected stats imply.

Last season, he completed 4.42 dribbles per 90, which signals his ball-carrying ability as he carried on average close to 291 meters per 90, last season, in a squad which saw just around 46% of the ball on average last season, his output alone was close to 22% of the total dribbles completed by Dijon as a club. With 4.18 shot-creating actions per 90, he is heavily involved in the attack as he also takes close to 2.28 shots per 90, keeping 1.02 of those shots on target.

And it’s not just the attack where his specialities seem to lie, as he is very capable in his defensive actions, with 5.93 successful pressures per 90 and 2.71 tackles and interceptions per 90. And with 6.33 offensive duels/90, it isn’t hard to understand why he is on the radar of many clubs.

He is one forward many mid-table sides should be looking at as a bargain who could explode into a superstar for their club and bring in a huge fee if and when he departs for a bigger club. The top clubs could be looking at as a useful squad member, who one day could become a regular starter for them as he continues his development with the side.

Keep An Eye On

Ibrahima Niane

  • Age – 21
  • Club – FC Metz
  • Position – Centre-Forward
  • Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1042
  • Goals + Assists – (XG+XA) – 3 – (3.21)
  • Successful Dribbles/90 – 2.42
  • (Shots/Shots on Target per 90) – 2.42/0.95
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 4.25

Maxwel Cornet

  • Age – 24
  • Club – OL
  • Position – Left-Midfield/Wing
  • Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1450
  • Goals + Assists – (XA+XG) – 6 – (4.28)
  • Successful Dribbles/90 – 2.36
  • (Shots/Shots on Target per 90) – 1.43/0.75
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 4.59

Player in Focus – Angelo Fulgini

Age – 24

Club – Angers

Position – Central Midfield

Minutes Played in 19/20 –1670

At the club since the start of 17/18, he has slowly but steadily grown his stock in his time at Angers. Although last season wasn’t his best at the club, his XG+XA suggests, he vastly underperformed. He had a goal contribution of just 2 (1 goal and 1 assist), whereas XG+XA puts him closer to 5 (3.1 expected goals and 2.1 expected assists).  And he maintained a very decent 0.3 XG+XA last season from central midfield.

And it isn’t just the attacking side that he is capable of, he is very adept at keeping and carrying the ball, and developing the play for his team. He managed 1.66 switches per 90 last season, and made 11 passes while under pressure from opponents per 90, in 19/20. Add 3.49 successful dribbles to those figures, and he looks like a very good signing for any club, regardless of their stature, as he would be considered a bargain. He gets his team up the field, as he managed 4.74 successful passes to the final 3rd per 90 last season.

On the defensive end, he maintained a healthy 3.07 tackles and interceptions per 90 last season, regularly challenging opponents to win the ball back, both in defence and attack. And with 4.86 successful pressures, he is one player who knows how to balance his defensive duties, as well as his offensive duties. It shows a maturity in him that players find in their peak years, and he is just 24 currently.

If he can improve his output in goal contributions and maintain his numbers across the pitch, there seems a very decent chance, a bigger club will come in for him sooner rather than later, maybe even a European giant.

Keep An Eye On

Ludovic Blas

  • Age – 22
  • Club – Nantes
  • Position – Attacking Midfield
  • Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1932
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 5.95
  • Goals + Assists – (XA+XG) – 6 – (4.8)
  • Tackles & Interceptions – 2.66
  • Shots/Shots on Target – 2.05/0.93

Renato Sanches

  • Age – 22
  • Club – LOSC Lille
  • Position – Central Midfield
  • Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1585
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 7.64
  • Goals + Assists – (XA+XG) – 4 – (4.4)
  • Tackles & Interceptions – 3.52
  • Successful Passes to Final 3rd – 6.47

Player in Focus – Rayan Ait Nouri

Age – 19 y.o.

Club – Angers SCO

Position – Left-Back

Minutes Played in 19/20 – 1347

After coming through the youth academy of Angers, Ait Nouri established himself as one of the best young left-backs in Ligue 1. He is already on the wishlist of top European clubs even though he has just one season’s worth of top-flight football experience, such is his potential.

With just 78% of his passes completed, he completed two successful crosses/90 last season for a side which maintained an average possession rate of 45.1%., but the passes progressed up the pitch close to 306 meters per 90 last season. Even from left-back, he was creating 1.47 shots for his teammates per 90, and 0.28 goal creating actions per 90. With 1.34 successful dribbles per 90, he was actively involved in ball progression, as well as helping his side build up an attack. He also completes 2.94 passes to the final 3rd from left-back.

With 5.61 tackles and interceptions per 90 and 5.85 successful pressures per 90, one would be forgiven to assume that Rayan is a seasoned top-flight footballer, rather than one who just had his breakthrough season. He seems to be maintaining his defensive duties quite well along with his attacking responsibilities as he blocks the ball 2.25 times per 90, and clears the ball out of danger an impressive 3.59 times per 90.

It won’t be long before a big club comes in for him and pays the asking price, to get his services, as he looks very likely to build on his breakthrough season, and continue his steady development. His quality is visible both on the pitch and in between the numbers as well.

Keep An Eye On

Wesley Fofana

  • Age – 19
  • Club – AS Saint Etienne
  • Position – Centre-Back
  • Minutes Played – 1396
  • Tackles & Interceptions/90 – 6
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 4.3
  • Blocks/90 – 1.63
  • Clearances/90 – 6.81
  • Aerial Duels/90 – 4.64

Axel Disasi

  • Age – 22
  • Club – Monaco (recently transferred) – (previously at Stade De Reims)
  • Position – Centre-Back
  • Minutes Played – 2579
  • Tackles & Interceptions/90 – 4.75
  • Successful Pressures/90 – 2.26
  • Blocks/90 – 1.63
  • Clearances/90 – 5.74
  • Aerial Duels/90 – 3.11

Player in Focus – Pedrag Rajkovic

Age – 24 y.o.

Club – Stade De Reims

Position – Goalkeeper

Minutes Played in 19/20 – 2580

In a market where quality goalkeepers are going for big money, Rajkovic seems to have been swept under the radar, as he is still a Reims player at the start of 20/21. While Chelsea signed Mendy, and Arsenal have brought in the Icelandic goalkeeper, Alex Runarsson, it seems like no one gave a thought to Pedrag, but that could also be because he missed three full seasons of football between 2016 and 2019.

Even then, his stats from last season were very respectable, if not commendable, as the side qualified for Europa League.

He kept 12 clean sheets from a possible 27 maintaining a clean sheet percentage of 44.4% which is very good for a side which usually looks for a mid-table finish. He had an outstanding save percentage of 79.8% as he kept a positive 8.8 post-shot expected goals last season. With just 18 goals conceded from 27 games, it is easy to see that he hasn’t lost the quality that he had when he was playing for Red Star back in his home country.

If Rajkovic maintains his standard that he set last season, it won’t be long before he is starting in between the sticks for a top European giant, and challenging for silverware with stars all around him.

Keep An Eye On

Gautier Larsonneur

  • Age – 23
  • Club – Stade Brest
  • Position – Goalkeeper
  • Minutes Played – 2398
  • Clean Sheets – 7
  • Post Shot Expected Goals +/- – (+6.8)
  • Save Percentage – 75.8%