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Who is Youssouf Fofana: Profiling Monaco’s highly-rated midfield rock
As the summer transfer window swings into top gear, we continue our look at some of the players who will be attracting major interest in the coming weeks.
This week, Jacque Talbot of FootballTransfers runs the rule over Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana, and it’s easy to see why major European clubs are being linked.
We’ve heard all about Newcastle's interest in a player who has been a rock for his Ligue 1 team, but that is the tip of the iceberg. Many, many more are following his progress as well.
Born in Paris, the now 24-year-old Fofana needed to leave his hometown to find his big footballing breakthrough - a common path for many talented young players who begin their careers in the French capital.
After being released by the national academy at Clairefontaine when he was just 13 years old, he embarked on a journey which took him through Red Star FC and JA Drancy. That was before RC Strasbourg Alsace signed him in 2017.
A year later, Fofana made his debut in Ligue 1 for Strasbourg, contributing to a 1-0 victory over FC Metz.
After impressing in a season-and-a-half with Strasbourg's first team, Fofana - along with Aurelien Tchouaméni from Girondins de Bordeaux - caught the attention of Monaco in 2020.
The club from the principality secured both their services in a combined €35 million deal.
Youssouf Fofana transfer value
We now give Fofana an Expected Transfer Value (xTV) of €28.4million and it is likely Monaco would get a healthy profit on their outlay were they to cash in on Fofana this summer.
GetFranceFootballNews spoke to the midfielder about his future, asking him if it would be his final season with the club.
He replied: “Monaco is a big club in France and in Europe it’s a bit of a springboard. Lots of clubs grab players from us. For a few years, it’s a club that has also developed in Europe, getting through the group stages in the Europa League, whilst changing policy with the promotion of young players.
“That’s already an accomplishment. There is more progress to make. We’re on the right path, so why not continue on it? But personally, if it’s the right time, and it’s the right opportunity, for me to go and see something else, I don’t know. Only time will tell. We’re on the right path, so why can’t we buy clubs from others? “
Playing style, strengths and stats
Standing a sturdy 5ft 9ins tall with a commanding presence, Fofana is a versatile midfielder who contributes significantly to both Monaco and the French national team. He excels as a box-to-box presence, and he is comfortable orchestrating play and anchoring the midfield.
In Ligue 1 last season, he consistently averaged three tackles won per game and six progressive passes on average. Fofana is a natural No.6 but he can also play in a more advanced role, operating as an 8.
Ce double sauvetage de @YFofana19_ ⛔️
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) December 7, 2022
Toutes les images de l'opposition d'hier soir 👉 https://t.co/XR5wJp9Nqs#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/J0Dk5QAoSo
The 24-year-old’s physicality and ability to regain possession in the middle shot him to prominence during the 2020/21 season, but he has since turned into a very well-rounded midfielder who can also contribute in other areas of the pitch.
Fofana made 8.14 ball recoveries per 90 minutes last season, which puts him in the 92nd percentile for midfielders across the top five leagues in Europe. He offers his defenders great protection by pressing well in the high and low zone.
He also puts in 1.38 blocks, 3.84 tackles + interceptions per 90 minutes and wins 56% of his aerials, showcasing his ability to cover most defensive bases for a central midfielder.
The French international was known earlier in his career to be a little too safe in possession with frequent sideways and backward passes. But he has improved that side of his game over the past season with a solid 7.24 progressive passes per 90 minutes, of which 5.36 were into the final third.
With 2.75 carries into the final third (93rd percentile) and a high progressive carrying distance, Fofana shows great proficiency in carrying the ball into space.
🆚 Declan Rice vs Youssouf Fofana in league action last season:
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 27, 2023
💪 Tackles per 90 - 2.2 / 2.4
🧠 Interceptions per 90 - 1.7 / 1.6
🛡️ Total poss won per 90 - 9.2 / 7.7
🤤 Dribbles per 90 - 1 / 1.3
🎯 Passes per 90 - 57.3 / 50
🔐 Key passes per 90 - 1 / 0.9 pic.twitter.com/rKxi9zIom1
Apart from carrying the ball, the former Strasbourg midfielder also stands out in his ability to take players on. He attempts 2.61 take-ons per 90 at a very decent success rate of 52%. But these runs pose a great threat for the opposition, with 0.21 per 90 minutes leading to a shot on goal, in the 88th percentile.
Fofana is very similar to the aforementioned Tchouameni, who of course was his midfield partner at Monaco before making that huge move to Real Madrid.
Clubs who liked Tchouameni may well look to acquire Fofana this summer window as a cheaper alternative - just in the last few days he was mooted as a Declan Rice fallback plan for Arsenal.
Whoever does acquire him would be getting a player whose potential is not yet truly realised.
Watch this space...