Chelsea Transfers

[Magic Lamps 11,649]

6 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Raphael Leao, stock up or stock down after the World Cup?

down, but just bc of the number of minutes he played. Never had a fair chance really, terrible selections.

 

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

27 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by OhForAGreavsie

[OhForAGreavsie 5,890]

25 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

down, but just bc of the number of minutes he played. Never had a fair chance really, terrible selections.

 

Ah, ok. I have not watched but I did catch a glimpse of Morocco Vs Portugal this afternoon and saw him on the pitch. That reminded me that there have not been many comments about him recently. Now I know why.

[Superblue 6,370]

1 hour ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Raphael Leao, stock up or stock down after the World Cup?

Probably about the same as what it was pre-World Cup for me.

Showed his obvious talent and explosiveness with the limited minutes he was given, but when I did see him I still don't like the attitude and work ethic he portrays. It was the exact same against us, clearly offers a threat but he leaves his team effectively playing with 10 men when they don't have the ball.

[Vesper 28,676]

Manchester City make over €100m offer to sign Croatia's Josko Gvardiol

Chelsea and Manchester United have also made offers to sign the central defender

https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/20850-manchester-city-make-over-100m-offer-to-sign-croatias-josko-gvardiol

Manchester City have made a whopping €100 million plus offer to sign Croatia and RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

Gvardiol has demonstrated his ability in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar for his nation, which attracted many elite clubs to sign him.

According to Foot Mercato, Manchester City are one of Europe's three top clubs that have made their first offer to sign the 20-year-old defender.

The defending champions of the Premier League have made a €100m plus bonuses deal, while arch-rivals Manchester United have tabled a €95m deal to get the signature of the centre-back.

Meanwhile, a €90m offer has been offered by North London club Chelsea.

The 20-year-old's best performance of the FIFA World Cup came in the quarter-final, where Croatia beat Brazil on penalties after a 1-1 draw to set up a semi-final clash with Argentina.

 

He moved from Dinamo Zagreb to German club RB Leipzig back in 2020, and over time, he gradually improved to become one of the best central defenders in the Bundesliga.

For a player so young, Gvardiol has made an impressive amount of appearances for RB Leipzig, 65 to be exact, including 10 in the Champions League.

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There are only a handful of under 30yo (so no Neymar, even if he was available) players on the planet who, IMHO, at this exact moment, are actually even remotely available (so no Mbappe) and who are pretty much locks to truly systemically impact a team
 

Jude Bellingham  
Josko Gvardiol
Enzo Fernández    

then

Rafael Leão  
Victor Osimhen
Dušan Vlahović
Milan Skriniar (if available)
Jan Oblak

then

Declan Rice  
Nicolò Barella
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Moisés Caicedo
Federico Chiesa (if fully recovered)
Florian Wirtz    (if fully recovered)
Bernardo Silva (if available)

then

João Félix  
Frenkie de Jong  (if available)
Ousmane Dembélé
Leroy Sané
Moussa Diaby

 

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by Vesper

[Vesper 28,676]

 

[bluesman2610 1,340]

Man we need a CM who can score from midfield with long shots.. we really haven’t had that since Lampard left. And a second midfielder who can protect the back 4. Those are priorities we should be really focusing on in January.
 

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Lukaku set for Chelsea return after Inter Milan loan in transfer worry

Chelsea transfer news: The Blues face tough conversations with their record signing ahead of a second move.

https://www.football.london/Chelsea-fc/transfer-news/romelu-lukaku-Chelsea-todd-boehly-25725100

Chelsea will have to be at their best when it comes to transfer negotiations in 2023 as a major pile of business mounts in front of the new owners. Graham Potter and his new recruitment team are ready for a continuation of the squad overhaul that started in the summer and are expected to be very active in the new year.

The Blues have contract issues and squad holes to patch up first before attention turns to strengthening and moving on underperforming players. But one thing they may not have planned for was the return of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian is currently on loan at Inter Milan but is still owned by Chelsea and has a complex situation to sort out.

Having been signed last summer for a club record £97.5million he failed to live up to expectations and contributed to an ever more fractured changing room. His infamous interview all but ended his career at the club, but trying to sell on a major asset after scoring just 15 goals in all competitions isn't easy.

READ MORE: Chelsea have a secret weapon in their bid to beat Liverpool and Real Madrid to Jude Bellingham

Todd Boehly and Co had it slightly easier than Roman Abramovich in the sense that he was not their mistake so moving him on, even on loan, didn't look as bad on the regime, but it still taints the club. Now, with a little over six months to go on his deal in Italy, and just 249 minutes of league action played, a tough set of circumstances exist.

Despite Inter Milan paying a small loan fee they have only got him for this season with new FIFA rules not allowing for multiple season deals anymore, with the law stating, "the minimum period of a Temporary Transfer shall be the period between two consecutive Transfer Windows and the period of a Temporary Transfer shall not extend beyond 30 June next after it was entered into." It means that come the end of the Serie A season Lukaku will be a Chelsea player once more.

Graham Potter has never managed Lukaku, he was purchased under Tuchel and allowed to leave whilst Tuchel was in charge. He may not get the chance to have a say in Lukaku's future, especially if the player of the current squad continue to feel detached, but it raises a hurdle for Potter to get over.

Due to Inter's dire financial position, re-signing Lukaku may not be the easy deal that it would seem, and due to his fitness and performances, convincing the 2020/21 champions to commit to another season on the same terms may prove challenging.

Inter currently pay around 60% of his wages on top of a £5million loan fee, coming in at around £15million in total with bonuses included, according to Italian paper Tuttosport. Negotiations for a new deal will have to be fresh though, with no terms agreed for next year, even though there is a general consensus between the clubs that he will be rejoining.

This all creates a large and unwanted backdrop for what already promises to be an extremely turbulent summer at Stamford Bridge.

 

[LAM09 6,733]

49 minutes ago, bluesman2610 said:

Man we need a CM who can score from midfield with long shots.. we really haven’t had that since Lampard left. And a second midfielder who can protect the back 4. Those are priorities we should be really focusing on in January.
 

SMS would have been the perfect option 3-4 seasons ago. He's regained some of his form in the last 12 months, but I'd hesitate to pay Lazio's asking price now.

Edited December 11, 2022 by LAM09

[Strike 7,212]

 

Chelsea working on a deal to bring Moukoko in January. Aston Villa (yes, I rechecked) mentioned as a destination for Joao Felix.

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47 minutes ago, Strike said:

 

Chelsea working on a deal to bring Moukoko in January. Aston Villa (yes, I rechecked) mentioned as a destination for Joao Felix.

Ornstein: The transfer deals that have been the talk of the World Cup

https://theathletic.com/3991075/2022/12/12/ornstein-world-cup-transfer-targets/

 

It is just 20 days until the January transfer window opens.

While most men’s club football paused for the duration of the World Cup, many sides have been busy trying to get business lined up before the market begins on New Year’s Day.

Holding a major international tournament effectively in one city midway through the European season has provided an unprecedented opportunity for the global game to descend on Qatar’s capital Doha, with a host of clubs sending representatives to take in matches and arrange meetings.

Players such as Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, England’s Jude Bellingham, the USA’s Yunus Musah and Ghana attacker Mohammed Kudus have caught the eye, while Morocco’s surprise run to the semi-finals has given Azzedine Ounahi, Selim Amallah and Sofyan Amrabat a platform to shine.

Other players – including Mykhaylo Mudryk, Matheus Cunha and 16-year-old Endrick – were not competing here but people at the World Cup have certainly still been talking about them.

Here’s what we have been hearing at the competition…

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Jude Bellingham

Phil Foden described England team-mate Jude Bellingham last week as “one of the most gifted players I’ve ever seen”, and the 19-year-old was a stand-out performer in their run to the quarter-finals.

Bellingham’s rise has made him a dream target for the world’s biggest clubs, so if the midfielder decides he wants to leave Borussia Dortmund – and his German employers open the door to a sale – he will have his pick of a small number of teams who can afford what it will take to complete such a deal.

No decision was expected until after the World Cup but now that Bellingham’s involvement in Qatar is over, suitors will hope to intensify their efforts to prise him away from the Bundesliga side.

There is a feeling among interested parties that Liverpool may be front-runners, but they do not think the matter is closed and will hope the current uncertainty at Anfield plays into their hands.

Owners Fenway Sports Group have put Liverpool up for sale, with key director Mike Gordon stepping back from his role and sporting director Julian Ward leaving at the end of this season after only a year in the job.

Liverpool’s pursuit of Bellingham is being led by manager Jurgen Klopp but his team have experienced a difficult start to the league season, which puts their 2023-24 Champions League participation in doubt.

 

Reigning European champions Real Madrid and current world champions Chelsea are also huge admirers of the Birmingham City academy graduate, while back-to-back Premier League winners Manchester City might not currently be at the head of the queue but have him in their thoughts.

Another credible option is to stay at Dortmund, where he is committed until the summer of 2025 already. They would welcome the chance to extend a stay which began in the summer of 2020.

Many in the industry are quick to praise Bellingham and his parents for the impressive manner in which his career is managed and tip them to diligently navigate the path ahead and ensure the best possible outcome is achieved.

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Mykhaylo Mudryk

The Premier League paused for six weeks to make room for this winter World Cup with Arsenal top of the table, leaving many keen to discover if the January window will be used to help maintain what is an unexpected title bid.

Arsenal are prepared to do so if an opportunity arises that the club deem right for the long term, with the Kroenke family — their American owners — wanting to back now-sporting director Edu and manager Mikel Arteta.

Their priority target is Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk and sources with knowledge of the matter think there is a good chance it will happen, though nothing is agreed at present.

Shakhtar have stated their value for the highly coveted Ukraine international as €100million (£85.9m, $105.3m) – but interested parties are of the understanding that a lower fee would be deemed acceptable.

Arsenal are among the clubs in touch with both Shakhtar and Mudryk’s representatives, with the 21-year-old known to be focused on moving to the Premier League and determined to make the Emirates Stadium his destination.

Brentford had a deal worth €25million in place last summer, when he was also on Arsenal’s radar, and his stock has since risen. It will ultimately come down to the price and while the north London club may have alternative possibilities, Mudryk is their focus.

Sofyan Amrabat

A pivotal part of Morocco being surprise World Cup semi-finalists, Sofyan Amrabat will be sure to generate enquiries in January – but that does not mean a transfer is necessarily going to happen.

His Serie A club, Fiorentina, want to keep the 26-year-old midfielder until the summer, when there will be a year left on his contract, and they will aim to recoup at least the €20million paid to Belgium’s Club Bruges for him in the same window in 2020.

The likelihood of bids arriving next month of a level which might convince the Italians to alter their stance is regarded as low. If they do, the expectation is those offers will come from clubs in the lower reaches of the Premier League and would probably be turned down by Amrabat.

He was strongly considered by Tottenham Hotspur in the last January window, owing to their Italian head coach Antonio Conte being a huge fan, but ultimately they secured fellow midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur instead and Amrabat stayed in Florence.

Leading clubs will want to see whether the form he’s shown in Qatar continues when he returns to club football and, while the idea of a loan deal including either an option or obligation to buy may appeal to suitors, it is unlikely to tempt Fiorentina.

Yunus Musah

The United States’ hopes of a first World Cup quarter-final since 2002 may have been dashed by the Netherlands, but that does not mean their campaign wasn’t without its highlights.

One of the brightest of those was Yunus Musah, the 20-year-old Valencia midfielder who moved to Spain in 2019 after spending seven years in Arsenal’s academy.

Musah was born in New York while his mother was there on a family holiday and represented England at five youth levels before pledging allegiance to the US in 2021, and could now find himself a wanted man again.

Valencia have been open to offers for him in the past but meaningful interest failed to materialise. The La Liga club are still willing to listen to bids and hope Musah’s impressive displays in Qatar might stimulate the market for him.

The opportunity is being explored by a number of Premier League clubs, with Valencia’s financial position meaning he would be available for north of €20million.

Musah, who is under contract until the end of the 2025-26 season, is thought to be keen on experiencing a new challenge after three and a half years in Spain.

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Joao Felix

Atletico Madrid chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin very rarely speaks publicly, so his comment last week that it is “reasonable to think that he (Joao Felix) might leave” has been interpreted in some quarters as an admission the 23-year-old will move in January.

That interpretation is accurate, with interest in Felix from several top clubs. Some Premier League sides have been led to believe the Portugal forward could even be available on loan, albeit with a sizeable fee and salary. Others, though, think a permanent transfer is more realistic for a player who joined Atletico in 2019 from Benfica for €126million and is contracted until 2026.

Aston Villa is an option that Felix’s agent Jorge Mendes is believed to be pushing. He has a strong relationship with the Villa ownership after doing the deal for Unai Emery to be appointed as manager.

Some who work in top-level recruitment, however, think Felix may be better suited to Arsenal given the stylistic fit and their potential need for attacking reinforcements after Gabriel Jesus underwent knee surgery.

Youssoufa Moukoko

Chelsea are exploring the possibility of bringing Youssoufa Moukoko to Stamford Bridge.

Moukoko became the youngest player to represent Germany at a World Cup when he came on as a substitute in the 2-1 defeat by Japan in their opening group game, aged 18 years and three days.

A move to Chelsea is certainly not done but other Premier League clubs are under the impression it is advanced and are watching closely, given it may have implications for the availability of Armando Broja, who was taken off the field on a stretcher during a friendly against Aston Villa in Dubai on Sunday.

Moukoko is set to be out of contract at Dortmund at the end of this season and there is a school of thought that Chelsea are doing the groundwork for a summer deal ahead of time, but may find a way to bring him to west London next month.

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Matheus Cunha

Brazil’s early (as far as they were concerned) World Cup elimination at the quarter-final stage gave further reason to question the wisdom of omitting Matheus Cunha from their 26-man squad – and it is likely the Atletico Madrid striker will now get a chance to show what his national team missed, with a January move to the Premier League expected.

The early favourites to sign Cunha were Wolverhampton Wanderers after they started dialogue over a deal that would potentially have also seen Atletico defender Felipe head to Molineux.

Seeking a package of around €50million for the pair – which was proposed by the super-agent Mendes, who does not represent Cunha but has established links to both clubs – the Spanish side had a strong preference to do business with Wolves ahead of alternative suitors.

Despite concerns about joining the team currently bottom of the league, Cunha’s respect for newly appointed head coach Julen Lopetegui and Wolves’ readiness to make the highest salary offer among interested clubs created optimism in the West Midlands.

However, it is now uncertain if Wolves will meet Atletico’s financial demands and that not only casts doubt on their pursuit but also gives encouragement to others competing for his signature.

Everton are long-term admirers and would like to bring Cunha to Goodison Park this winter. It is not clear if they are in a position to buy him or would need to structure a package differently, nor whether the 23-year-old would ultimately pick Frank Lampard’s side.

There is serious interest, too, from Leeds United. They tried to get Cunha before he went to Atletico from Hertha Berlin in the summer of 2021 and he knows their head coach Jesse Marsch from their time together at another German club, RB Leipzig, in 2018-19. Having narrowly missed out on Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven and the Netherlands in the summer, Leeds know how important it is to pounce before players they want in the market become out of reach for them.

Aston Villa have figured in the Cunha conversation but not as prominently as their rivals, with new head coach Emery said to be prioritising another position initially. Meanwhile, Arsenal are weighing up whether to enter the frame as manager Arteta considers how best to cope in the absence of Jesus.

Cunha joined Atletico on a five-year contract but is known to be disengaged after seeing his game-time in the Spanish capital decline and with it, seemingly, went his hopes of a World Cup place.

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Dominik Livakovic

Manchester United, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest all had opportunities to sign Croatia’s World Cup hero Dominik Livakovic in the summer transfer window.

Livakovic has emerged as one of the breakout stars of the tournament in Qatar. The Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper saved three penalties to eliminate Japan in the round of 16, before denying Rodrygo to help Croatia win a second successive shootout against Brazil.

But a number of Premier League sides passed up the chance to bring Livakovic to England ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

The 27-year-old was available for a cut-price fee of between €5m-€10m — but Manchester United opted against recruiting him to provide back-up to David de Gea, instead relying on Tom Heaton and taking Martin Dubravka on loan from Newcastle United.

Forest were close to agreeing a deal with Zagreb for around €6million but decided they wanted a more high-profile player when Brice Samba departed for French club Lens, which proved to be Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United.

Livakovic was also offered to Leicester as they sought goalkeeping depth following Kasper Schmeichel’s departure for Nice. In the end, Alex Smithies was acquired on a free transfer to back up Danny Ward and Daniel Iverson.

Livakovic is expected to be a target for a number of top European teams next summer, with Dinamo usually open to trading their most coveted players if the price is right.

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Mohammed Kudus

Ghana midfielder Mohammed Kudus has a firm desire to leave Ajax in January and teams from the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 are watching closely.

The 22-year-old, who returned to the Netherlands following Ghana’s group-stage elimination, wants to establish whether his Amsterdam-based club are open to a transfer and what kind of fee it might take to sign him — €35m-€40m is estimated as a minimum, although early indications suggest a reluctance at Ajax to let him go.

Everton agreed terms with the player on deadline day in September, only for the Dutch champions to block his exit having already sold Antony and Lisandro Martinez to Manchester United, Ryan Gravenberch to Bayern Munich and Sebastien Haller to Dortmund in that window, while also losing head coach Erik ten Hag to United. Frank Lampard and company are still keen. There was informal contact with Everton’s neighbours Liverpool last summer, as well as interest from French sides over a loan.

The Premier League is Kudus’ first-choice destination and operating in midfield is a key factor. Ajax have been using him as a false nine and there seems little prospect of that changing under Ten Hag’s successor Alfred Schreuder, whereas he shone at the World Cup when deployed in his favoured position.

Although suitors are enquiring about his availability, there have been no formal discussions yet. It will come down to the stance of Ajax, where Kudus has a contract that runs until June 2025.

Endrick

Real Madrid are on the verge of closing a deal worth €60million to sign the 16-year-old from Sao Paulo side Palmeiras, which would see the Brazilian starlet arrive at the Bernabeu in the summer of 2024 — when he turns 18.

The move is expected to be completed in the coming weeks and while his contract has not yet been finalised, it is set to be for at least four years.

Endrick and his family were impressed by Chelsea but found the Premier League side to be more hesitant in committing to the financial terms, even though a large element of the deal was performance-related. The timing may also have worked against the London club, given their recruitment operation is still being constructed following a raft of changes made by the new ownership.

Serial French champions Paris Saint-German made Endrick an attractive pitch, too, though ultimately it was felt Real Madrid offered the smoothest adaptation to life in Europe — plus the attraction of representing such an illustrious club.

Real Madrid’s position was also boosted by their Brazilian sporting director Juni Calafat.

His knowledge of the South American market is renowned and he has a proven track record after signing the likes of Endrick’s countrymen Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo and Federico Valverde of Uruguay.

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Goncalo Ramos

Preferred to 118-goal Cristiano Ronaldo to start Portugal’s World Cup last 16 tie against Switzerland despite only winning his first cap last month, Goncalo Ramos responded by scoring a brilliant hat-trick.

Benfica rejected offers for the 21-year-old last summer and are likely to stand firm again in January given they have reached the knockout phase of the Champions League and Ramos is under contract with them until the end of 2025-26.

If a sizeable bid were to arrive off the back of his performances in Qatar, however, Benfica might be persuaded to sell — although there is a strong desire to keep him until the summer at least.

As for Ronaldo, he is a free agent after parting ways with Manchester United last month. An offer to play in Saudi Arabia remains on the table. He is expected to make a decision on his future in the next few weeks ahead of his 38th birthday in early February.

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Selim Amallah

Having excelled for Morocco in Qatar, Selim Amallah is drawing interest from clubs at the lower end of the Premier League and towards the top of the Championship, as well as in Germany, France and Spain.

The 26-year-old midfielder is on course to be out of contract in the summer at Standard Liege and his refusal to sign a new deal means the Belgian club will almost certainly let him exit for a nominal fee next month.

That is attracting sides who would prefer to buy him now than enter a free-agent auction in the off-season. Because of the contract situation, Liege have not picked Amallah since September 30, and he was granted permission to join up with his international squad early to prepare for the World Cup.

Azzedine Ounahi

Midfielder Azzedine Ounahi is another who has played a key role in Morocco’s run to the semis and he is now attracting interest from clubs in the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga.

The 22-year-old extended his contract at French club Angers last summer, by a year, until June 2026.

Conversations took place before the World Cup about a potential move but it remains unclear what kind of fee Angers, currently bottom of Ligue 1 with two wins from their 15 games, would seek. Ounahi does not have a release clause in his deal.

An Angers spokesperson told The Athletic: “The club does not have as a priority the departure of Ounahi but will study all serious proposals for a possible transfer, preserving the interests of the club and the player.”

Danilo 

Palmeiras midfielder Danilo said, “I see myself mature enough to be able to play in any competition in the world, I’m ready” in an interview with Brazilian media outlet UOL Esporte last month, feeding speculation he is heading for the Premier League.

The 21-year-old has been heavily linked to Arsenal in particular but is not thought to be a target for them at present.

Danilo was called up for two friendlies against South Korea and Japan in June but didn’t get on the pitch in either and got overlooked for coach Tite’s 26-strong World Cup squad.

 

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Azzedine Ounahi: Morocco's elegant, industrious midfielder counts Luis Enrique among his new admirers following breakout World Cup

Azzedine Ounahi was an unknown in France's third tier 18 months ago and now plays for the side sitting bottom of Ligue 1, but the midfielder has been a revelation in Qatar

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12763918/azzedine-ounahi-moroccos-elegant-industrious-midfielder-counts-luis-enrique-among-his-new-admirers-following-breakout-world-cup

"Madre mía," said Luis Enrique, shaking his head and waving his hand from one side to the other for added effect. "Where did this kid come from?"

Achraf Hakimi, Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofyan Amrabat. Luis Enrique and his coaching staff were ready for them all. But not the skinny midfielder with the number eight on his back. "I'm sorry, I can't remember his name," added Luis Enrique.

He will remember it now and he is not the only one. Morocco's Azzedine Ounahi has been a World Cup revelation.

"He can really play," continued the now former Spain manager, putting the emphasis on really, his eyes widening as he spoke in his press conference, his final press conference, in the wake of Tuesday's game at the Education City Stadium. "He surprised me."

He surprised most people, in truth, the 22-year-old excelling as Morocco claimed a famous win over Spain to propel them into the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time, but not everyone.

Not those at Morocco's Mohammed VI academy in Salé, of which he is a graduate, like many in Walid Regragui's team; or those at US Avranches, the tiny, third-tier club in northern France where his senior career really began, only two years ago, and where he is fondly remembered as their petit protégé.

"I wouldn't say he was destined, with total certainty, to play at the highest level, because he needs an environment where he is trusted, with a coach who allows him to show his qualities," Corentin Bouchard, former assistant coach at Avranches, tells Sky Sports.

"But he was so talented, that was clear in every training session, and we always hoped he would get there. He had strong technical qualities, both to keep the ball and to unbalance a team by passing, dribbling or shooting. On top of that, he had very, very impressive stamina, which allowed him to repeat his efforts again and again."

It was all there against Spain. When he wasn't dancing away from opposition defenders, the ball seemingly glued to his feet, as he did so brilliantly to create a glorious chance for Walid Cheddira in the first half of extra-time, Ounahi was hustling, harrying, anticipating.

He was everywhere. The tracking data proved it. According to FIFA, Ounahi covered a remarkable total of 14.7km before his 119th-minute substitution - the most by any player on either side.

"He didn't stop running," added Luis Enrique.

"He must be exhausted."

The game against Spain was Ounahi's fourth consecutive start of the World Cup but only a year ago he was uncapped.

It has been some rise and it is all the more impressive considering how recently he was turning out in front of crowds of a few hundred in France's Championnat National.

Ounahi arrived at Avranches having failed to earn a professional contract with Strasbourg, where his playing time had been limited to the club's second team following his move from Morocco in 2018.

"The only thing he lacked at this level of competition was maybe in recovering the ball during duels," adds Bouchard. Ounahi was slight in stature and still is. But playing regularly for Avranches helped build him up - mentally as well as physically.

"He developed a lot of confidence from that, but his technical qualities and his physical qualities, in terms of his stamina, were already there. We just tried to develop his quality in the last meters, to be even more decisive."

Ounahi is remembered as "quiet and reserved" in the dressing room - "he spoke more when were in smaller groups," says Bouchard - but "approachable" too, and with an inner-belief in his own ability.

"He is someone who has ego and character, but who also listens to what is said to him and is very respectful and affectionate," adds Bouchard. "That's why he was like our little protégé."

Still, though, his physical stature was off-putting to many suitors.

"He was followed, but most clubs weren't willing to take a risk on him," says Bouchard. "Scouts sometimes found him too fragile to imagine him playing in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2."

That gave Angers, a top-tier outfit from the western edge of the Loire Valley, a relatively clear run at him when they made their move in the summer of last year.

"There were several clubs looking at him, but Angers was the only one from Ligue 1," Gildas Crozon, a journalist who covers the club for the Courrier de l'Ouest newspaper, tells Sky Sports.

The step up to Ligue 1 certainly tested him physically.

"He had something different from the other players in midfield, he was very skilful, but he was skinny, and not very strong. When he played against very strong players who put a lot of pressure on him, it could be more difficult."

But the self-belief previously noted by Bouchard at Aranches helped Ounahi through. "Azzedine is very confident in his skills," adds Crozon. "He really knows that he can - and that he could at the time - be a regular player in Ligue 1. I don't think he found it difficult to adapt to Ligue 1. I think he knew that he could do that."

By the end of the season, he had made 32 appearances, 16 of them as starts, as Angers finished 14th, the youngster breaking into Morocco's senior side for the first time in the process.

His impact at international level was profound.

In fact, on only his third start, in the second leg of Morocco's World Cup qualifying play-off against DR Congo in Casablanca in March, he scored two goals - the first a superb, long-range effort - and set up another in an emphatic 4-1 win which clinched their place in Qatar.

Crozon describes it as a "moment that changed everything" for Ounahi in his homeland - "he was a young player who was not that well-known in Morocco, but suddenly he was iconic" - and the summer brought speculation over his future.

Spanish clubs, including Sevilla, were said to be interested - "a fee of 12 million euros was mentioned," says Crozon - but eventually he signed a new four-year contract with Angers.

"The coach, Gerald Baticle, told him he had to be more important for the team, a leader," explains Crozon. "He told him he was counting on him. In the first game of the season, he showed us he was ready."

Crozon describes Ounahi's performance in that game, a goalless draw with Nantes in which he was up against former Tottenham and Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko, as "incredible".

Sissoko agreed.

"Sissoko said afterwards that he didn't know Azzedine," says Crozon. "It was similar to what Luis Enrique said about him, a guy not known by anyone but the best player on the pitch."

From there, though, the season quickly became difficult.

Ounahi has still shown his quality, with only a certain Lionel Messi completing more dribbles among all Ligue 1 players, but Angers sit bottom, five points adrift of safety with only two wins from 15 games. There has been tension with the club's supporters too.

"The level he has shown at this World Cup is not the level he has shown at Angers this year," says Crozon. "Then, Azzedine and Sofiane Boufal, who also plays for Morocco, didn't play in the last game before the World Cup against Lille."

It was deemed controversial. Even more so when Angers lost 1-0, and still more when Baticle paid for it with his job. Ounahi had broken his nose earlier in November but, according to Crozon, some fans have doubts. "They feel that maybe Azzedine and Boufal were not injured as had been said, that maybe it was just to protect them for the World Cup."

It remains to be seen whether those tensions linger once Morocco's World Cup participation is over, but what appears certain is that Ounahi's performances in Qatar will prompt a fresh wave of interest in January.

"He could have gone last summer, so it's not really new for Angers to think about Azzedine as a potential sale," adds Crozon. "The financial situation is not good at the moment. I'm not sure it's so bad they have to sell in January, but maybe next summer."

All that will become clear soon enough, but for now, it is best simply to enjoy him as he lights up the world stage, and to appreciate how far Azzedine Ounahi, the skinny kid with the number eight on his back, has already come.

"The recognition he is getting is really great," says Bouchard. "He is a beautiful player, an elegant player, the kind of player people go to the stadium to see. I just hope he continues to amaze everyone."

[Fernando 6,441]

Yup I mentioned that if any hype for a WC player would be him if you can get him for cheap. 

Generally WC stars are a hit and miss. But for his age and if you can get for a good price then worth a shot. 

[Strike 7,212]

Anyone has a read on how good is Moukoko? I saw Germany got him on at the WC and he plays centrally

[Vesper 28,676]

40 minutes ago, Strike said:

Anyone has a read on how good is Moukoko? I saw Germany got him on at the WC and he plays centrally

was a superstar at youth levels, but has struggled a bit in top flight

big plus is he is a left footer

[MoroccanBlue 5,291]

This is reminding me of 2012 again. Buying so much young talent whilst failing to improve the squad immediately. 

[Superblue 6,370]

54 minutes ago, Vesper said:

was a superstar at youth levels, but has struggled a bit in top flight

big plus is he is a left footer

To be fair though he's literally turned 18 less than a month ago, I think he's held his own reasonably well given his age. Certainly if he's available on a free transfer in the summer or a discounted fee in January, he'd be definitely someone I'd be intrigued in taking because the potential with him could be huge.

 

14 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

This is reminding me of 2012 again. Buying so much young talent whilst failing to improve the squad immediately. 

But in hindsight just look at the players we bought around this period and the careers most of them have gone on to have - Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Azpi, De Bruyne, Salah, Lukaku. We were shopping in the right place, we just didn't have the patience and foresight to see it through.

I've got no problem focusing on younger talent, just so long as we don't clear out all of our experienced players in one swoop.