Football Radar: Top Five French prospects
Posted by Sport.co.uk on: 26 May 2009 - 15:55
Author: Nigel Brown
Whether you’re a fan of big boys Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal, a season-ticket holder with Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester City, a frustrated devotee of Newcastle United, Sunderland or Middlesbrough, supporter of all things Everton, Fulham, Wigan, Portsmouth or a lover of Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion you’ll always be interested to see who is on Sport.co.uk's football radar.
This week Sport.co.uk have taken their talent spotting to France, to look at the top five youngsters who are all hoping to be the next Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira or Thierry Henry.
Name: Henri Saivet
Club: Girondins Bordeaux
Age: 18
Position: Forward
Height: 5ft 8.5 in
Estimated Value: £8 million
Report: Already dubbed by the glitterati of French football journalism as the 'next Thierry Henry,' Henri Saivet is seen as a future messiah for the French legion. Having signed his first professional contract with Bordeaux in 2007 at the tender age of 16, it would take a large offer from a European big boy to tempt Laurent Blanc to sell one of his prized assets. Arsene Wenger has watched the forward on a number of occasions and is rumoured to be the front runner if Saivet decides to leave, or Bordeaux decide to sell. Quick, strong and direct, the Senegalese born star has all the attributes to develop into a world beater.
Sport.co.uk Rating: 8/10
Interested Clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Name: Yohan Cabaye
Club: Lille
Age: 23
Position: Defensive Midfield
Height: 5 ft 9in
Estimated Value: £10 million
Report: The midfield general has been a key cog in Lille's Ligue 1 campaign helping his side to a respectable seventh position in the league while notching five goals finishing as the club's third highest goal scorer. Known for his work rate and defensive qualities Cabaye has developed a reputation in France as a midfield destroyer who can mix it with the best in Europe. Not quite ready for full international honours Cabaye has starred for the U-21's on 15 occassions. Recently the young starlet admitted he was tempted by a move to the Emirates: “Arsenal's interest? It is very flattering, but I am under contract and I don't know of any contact. Once again I am completely focused on the pitch. Would I be attracted? Of course, no one could refuse that.”
Sport.co.uk Rating: 9/10
Interested: Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Name: Mamadou Sakho
Club: Paris Saint Germain
Age: 19
Position: Centre-Back
Height: 6ft 1.5 in
Estimated Value: £10 million
Report: The PSG centre half has been mooted as the answer to Arsenal and Juventus' defensive problems and compared to Chelsea and AC Milan legend Marcel Desailly. Signed at the age of 11 from Paris FC, Sakho was moved into defence having previously operated as a centre forward. The Frenchman has already captained PSG, making him the youngest ever skipper in the club's history at 17 years and 8 months. Sakho is comfortable at left back and left wing, while being dangerous in the opposition's penalty box. One of France's top talents; big, strong and flexible, the youngster of Senegalese descent will cost big money if Arsene Wenger or Sir Alex Ferguson come calling. No doubt, a star prospect.
Sport.co.uk Rating: 9/10
Interested: Arsenal, Juventus and Manchester United
Name: Gabriel Obertan
Club: Girondins Bordeaux (On loan at FC Lorient)
Age: 20
Position: Striker
Height: 6ft 1 in
Estimated Value: £5 million
Report: A graduate of the famed Clairefontaine Academy, Obertan has received praise from Europe's top managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson, who monitored the player's development as a teenager before deciding not to make an offer. Then Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari had the tricky forward watched in the close season by scout Guy Hillion, without any offer being made. Instead Laurent Blanc loaned him out to FC Lorient, but the winger is set to return to Bordeaux with his future uncertain this summer. With Blanc looking to raise funds to sign Yoann Gourcuff from AC Milan, Obertan could be available for the right money this summer. A potential bargain? No doubt.
Sport.co.uk Rating: 7/10
Interested: Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, West Ham, Aston Villa, Valencia and AS Roma
Name: Damien Le Tallec
Club: Rennes
Age: 19
Position: Attacking Midfield
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Estimated Value: £2.5 million
Report: The younger brother of Anfield flop Anthony Le Tallec, Damien has the potential to at the very least scale the heights of his brother, who was once herladed, like many others before and after him, as the 'next Zinedine Zidane.' Damien, not short of confidence, has compared himself to Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov despite having not made an appearance for the Rennes first team. Everton and Villa scouts have reportedly watched the the young playmaker star for Rennes B. Le Tallec is by far the most raw in our top five French starlets, and would be seen as a gamble after the failure of his older brother at Liverpool. But this rough diamond could be one for the future.
Sport.co.uk Rating: 7/10
Interested: Everton, Tottenham, Aston Villa and West Ham.