10 Ligue 1 Players Who Could Be Stars in the English Premier League

Ligue 1 has become a staple source of talent for plenty of Premier League sides in recent years.

Newcastle United are the latest team to tap into the rich resources provided by France’s top-flight and plenty could follow their lead this summer.

With the league season now having finished with Paris Saint-Germain claiming a first title in 19 years, the emergence of Monaco as one of Europe’s main players financially has increased the visibility of Le Championnat.

This season has produced plenty of exciting new talent as well, and teams all across Europe will have no doubt taken note of some of the league’s brightest gems.

Here are 10 players from Ligue 1 who could become English Premier League stars in the near future.

Kevin Gameiro

Linked with a move to Liverpool in January (via ESPN FC) before the Merseyside club signed Daniel Sturridge, Kevin Gameiro finished the season as a title winner with Paris Saint-Germain.

The French international contributed some key goals towards Carlo Ancelotti’s side ending a 19-year wait for a Ligue 1 title, but has still been unable to force himself into PSG’s long-term plans.

In just seven starts this season Gameiro has scored eight goals, including a double in the final game of the season at former club Lorient.

The 26-year-old, PSG’s second-highest league goal scorer behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, deserves better than being overlooked every week. But it is hard to expect to usurp the towering Swede in the starting XI.

Expect Gameiro to move on this summer, he’d be a very good fit in the Premier League.

Romain Alessandrini

One of the French top-flight’s revelations of the season, Rennes’ Romain Alessandrini, saw his spectacular campaign prematurely ended in February.

At that point, the Breton side were fourth in the league and Alessandrini, a summer signing from second-tier Clermont, had scored 10 goals and notched five assists in just 22 appearances.

On top of that, he had been called up by Didier Deschamps to make an unlikely appearance in the France squad for Les Bleus’ friendly clash with Germany.

Ruled out for six months at least, Alessandrini is a star in the making and certainly worth of international recognition.

However, according to Le 10 Sport (in French) Marseille are reported to be keen on the Frenchman.

Now might not be the time for Alessandrini to move to the EPL, but if he does in the future, expect him to have a big impact.

Maxime Gonalons

Lyon captain and French international Maxime Gonalons is a rare player at Lyon who currently finds himself indispensable while President Jean-Michel Aulas remains intent on driving down the club’s costs.

The Argentine international is the latest Stade Gerland star to be linked with a move away from France (via ESPN FC), following reported Arsenal target and teammate Clement Grenier (also via ESPN FC).

However, if the club do not make some money on their preferred players to get rid of, then offers for Gonalons will start to be entertained.

Arsenal are believed to be closely monitoring his situation (via ESPN FC), so expect him to join the Gunners when the time finally comes for him to choose to leave, or gets forced out. 

Jeremie Aliadiere

Former Arsenal and Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere is enjoying a new lease of life at ambitious Ligue 1 side Lorient.

The 30-year-old scored 15 goals, adding seven assists in 31 starts for Les Merlus in the league.

A first-ever injury-free campaign was ended unfortunately by an untimely spell on the side lines, but the former Gunner is deserving of a second chance in the EPL after this season’s showing.

Lucas Digne

Coveted by Liverpool according to reports (via Sports Mole) Lille’s still-teenaged left-back Lucas Digne is attracting plenty of interest after a fine first full season with Les Dogues.

Also linked with Manchester United (via Sky Sports), it appears that Digne might not stay in Ligue 1 for that long.

A French under-20 international, he has the potential to become one of the best full-backs in Europe.

He is perhaps a candidate to replace Patrice Evra at Old Trafford in time. 

Stephane Ruffier

Outstanding in helping his team Saint-Etienne to a sixth-placed league finish and the Coupe de la Ligue, French international goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier was unlucky to miss out on the goalkeeper of the year award recently.

Long considered one of the best net minders in France, Ruffier has been linked with a move away this summer despite the lure of European football next season (via Sports Mole).

If he does decide to leave France, there will surely be no shortage of interest in the 26-year-old.

The English Premier League is a possible destination for him.

Nicolas Nkoulou

Marseille were one of the surprise packages of the season, finishing second in the table under new coach Elie Baup despite only finishing 10th last campaign.

One of OM’s most consistent players this season has been Cameroonian international defender Nicolas Nkoulou.

However, both he and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda have been linked with moves to Monaco despite being targets for a number of English sides too (via Sky Sports).

Nkoulou has been reportedly targeted by Newcastle (via the Daily Mail) as well as Arsenal in the past (via the Express).

If any of those sides want him, they will have to move fast before Monaco re-sign their former player.

Etienne Capoue

The Toulouse midfielder is also a wanted man.

Reportedly the target of interest from French champions PSG in January, before they signed David Beckham, the Toulouse man revealed he had been approached by the capital club (via ESPN FC).

However, recent reports have suggested that Arsenal could be about to revive their interest in the French international (via International Business Times).

There is no doubt that Capoue’s combination of strength, athleticism and technical ability makes the 24-year-old perfect for the English Premier League.

Clement Grenier

Since the start of this season, Lyon fans have been forgetting about the miserable existence of the club’s highly disappointing French international Yoann Gourcuff thanks to the inspirational form of Clement Grenier.

Recently called up to the France squad by Didier Deschamps to replace Manchester City’s Samir Nasri, the 22-year-old is hot property.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger recently added his name to the long list of Grenier’s admirers (via ESPN FC), and a transfer could materialise as early as this summer.

Grenier’s rise to prominence has been unexpected given that he almost was forced to join Nice last summer, and the club are hamstrung by the fact that the Frenchman only has one year left on his current contract (via ESPN FC).

Expect Grenier, sooner rather than later, to be lining up in an Arsenal shirt. When Wenger wants somebody French, he almost always gets his man.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Finally, the hottest property in Ligue 1 right now, Saint-Etienne’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also a potential English Premier League star of the future.

The Gabonese international has not yet committed his future to the club, though Christophe Galtier’s side are confident of persuading him to stay for another year (via ESPN FC).

However, reported interest from PSG may mean that Aubameyang’s English suitors will have to wait for his signature for now. He revealed that the capital club have been in contact and a move to the EPL seems unlikely for now (via ESPN FC).

But that interest from Les Parisiens has been rivalled by Russian moneymen Anzhi Makhachkala (via ESPN FC) and Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen (also via ESPN FC), who are looking for a replacement for Chelsea-bound Andre Schurrle.

Spurs blew their chances of signing the prolific striker last summer but still remain interested, as do Chelsea (via Sky Sports).

However, a move to Italy where he has played once before may be more likely first.

Honourable Mentions

There are plenty of players not on this list, but capable of being stars in the English Premier League if they were to move there. However, I have based this list on the most likely to move to the EPL in the near future.

Promising midfielder Adrien Rabiot has been in sensational form since moving to Toulouse on loan from PSG.

Should the likes of West Ham United, Newcastle and West Bromwich Albion rekindle their interest (via Sky Sports), they could snare a bargain if he is deemed surplus to requirements in the capital.

Montpellier’s want-away Moroccan international Younes Belhanda is another who could find himself in the EPL before too long. Linked with a move to Arsenal previously (via ESPN FC), the 2011/12 young player of the year is in need of a fresh start.

Having narrowly avoided relegation, this summer looks like another rebuilding job for Les Lionceaux. French under-21 international full-back Sebastien Corchia has been one highlight in a fairly dull season for the Montbeliard outfit.

There have been rumours of Arsenal’s interest in the 22-year-old (via goal.com). But Lyon look set to beat them to the punch and are already close to a deal for the talented youngster (via ESPN FC).