Ligue 1 has proven itself time and again to the be the world’s greatest goldmine of players. Big European clubs can swoop in and secure top talent at a relatively reasonable cost, with the French youth system persistently churning out player after player of a very good standard.
Over the course of the last couple of seasons, N’Golo Kante has gone from simply a promising player at Caen, a provincial club, to being recognised as one of the best players in the world in his defensive midfield role at Chelsea. He is a Premier League champion and will soon double that tally with the Blues. But he is just one of the more extreme examples: every big club in European football has at least one player to have graduated from the Ligue 1 finishing school.
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This summer, there will be a fresh exodus of talent from France to abroad, but who are the men who could provide the best value for money? Who could explode unexpectedly onto a wider football consciousness? Here are five strong bets.
#1 Ryad Boudebouz
Montpellier playmaker Boudebouz has been dubbed in some quarters as the ‘next Riyad Mahrez’. That is an unfair title to give a man who is actually older than the Leicester City star and somewhat different in his style. Boudebouz is much more of a creative player and has carried his side’s offensive burden impressively this season.
Indeed, he has been a formidable player at Ligue 1 level for several years but has raised his efforts this term. His creativity and vision would make him a fine capture for any side, though it his technical qualities, notably from free kicks, that really set him apart.
He has already hit double figures in goals this season and has produced seven more assists – terrific numbers in a middling team.
#2 Sebastien Corchia
France international right-back Corchia is poised to leave Lille after several successful seasons in the northeast. He has gradually pushed himself onto the fringes of the national team, winning a couple of caps, and there is a strong school of thought that the defender should really be further up the pecking order than he currently is.
With a contract that expires in 2019, this could be LOSC’s last chance to cash in on a player who typifies all the qualities of a modern full-back. Not only does he attack very effectively, but his first love is defending.
Given the joy that Cesar Azpilicueta has had since moving to Chelsea from Marseille, it is not unfeasible to suggest that Corchia, who is a similar type of player, could enjoy an equal degree of success.
#3 Malcom
It is not unusual for Brazilians to make France a port of call before becoming a great superstar. Ronaldinho famously thrilled Paris Saint-Germain fans for two seasons before moving on to Barcelona, and attempting to follow in his footsteps in Malcom, who turned only 20 in February.
He has been with Bordeaux for the last 18 months but it has been over the course of the last season that he has really made his breakthrough. Under Jocelyn Gourvennec, he has established himself as a regular starter and has relegated Jeremy Menez, the club’s marquee summer signing, to the bench.
There are refinements in his game to be made, but it is telling that an exciting attacking team like Liverpool have been strongly linked with a summer move for a fee of around €20 million. It could prove a bargain in the long term.
#4 Jean Michaël Seri
Nice have been the surprise package of Ligue 1 this season, but while they have been spearheaded by Wylan Cyprien, Alassane Plea and Mario Balotelli, it has been Seri who has often been the engine behind the team, making them play.
If you are seeking a player to follow in the footsteps of Kante as an unheralded player in Le Championnat capable of shining in the Premier League, the 25-year-old would not make a bad bet. He is built in the same manner as the Chelsea man and covers just as much ground. However, he has admitted that his play is influenced by Barcelona great Xavi. This combination has proven outstanding.
Ivory Coast international Seri is more of an attacking player, however, and has scored four times for Lucien Favre’s side, producing nine assists in the process – the second-best tally in the whole of the league.
#5 Corentin Tolisso
Alexandre Lacazette may win all of the headlines in Lyon for his prolific scoring achievements, but it has been Tolisso who has been Lyon’s star man this season. He is a Swiss Army knife of a midfielder, able to play in numerous different roles, and such have been the quality of his performances, there has been talk of a move to Arsenal, Barcelona or – perhaps most likely – Juventus.
He has scored seven times in the league for Lyon and has produced three additional assists – a good return for a player who thrives in a box-to-box role. It would be a major surprise if he didn’t move on in the summer and enjoy terrific success at a very high level, having just made his breakthrough onto the international scene.
