Lyon's Nabil Fekir and 5 Most Surprising Ligue 1 Stars so Far This Season
If you are looking for future stars, Ligue 1 has been and will continue to be the hunting ground for clubs looking for the next big talent.
You only have to look through some of the squad lists in the Premier League to see the biggest and the best full of former Ligue 1 talent, with more and more linked every transfer window.
Each season, as players move to pastures new, a new group of stars will always emerge.
All of the players in this list have excelled for their clubs this year and are not only showing promise but have made themselves indispensable.
Here are six of the most surprising Ligue 1 stars so far this season.
N'Golo Kante: SM Caen
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They may be bottom of the Ligue 1 table, but there have been one or two reasons for fans of SM Caen to cheer this season. One of them has been all-action midfielder N’Golo Kante.
At just 23 years old, Kante has adapted superbly to the higher division, with his bursting runs into the penalty area an early feature of Caen’s attacking play.
Kante has scored twice this season, but it’s his all-round game that has impressed more. Kante is averaging 5.9 successful tackles per game, 1.8 more than anyone else in the league.
Jordan Amavi: OGC Nice
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Many were surprised when Nice were willing to let Timothee Kolodziejczak leave in the summer; little did we know how big an instant impact Jordan Amavi would have on the Nice defence.
Kolodziejczak, a former France under-20 international, had played over 70 games for Nice, but Amavi has replaced the 23-year-old without missing a beat.
Over the past two seasons, Amavi has played 39 games for Les Aiglons, adding to the attack by getting forward to score twice this campaign. He also ranks high in both tackles and clearances among all full-backs in Ligue 1.
Jeremy Morel: Olympique de Marseille
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Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa has never been one to do things traditionally, but his transformation of Jeremy Morel could be one of his greatest achievements to date.
Last season, Moral was a much maligned left-back, losing his place to Benjamin Mendy and regularly feeling the wrath of the Les Phoceens faithful.
Bielsa has turned Morel from a failing left-back into a combative and impressive centre-back. Using his left foot to start attacks from deep and his pace to stop the opposition from getting in behind.
Claudio Beauvue: EA Guingamp
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Claudio Beauvue is on a one-man mission to try and save EA Guingamp’s season. One of the relegation candidates, the Breton side has won four out of the last five games, with the forward scoring four times.
He was outstanding as he scored two and added an assist as his side beat Caen, 5-1. That was a huge result against a fellow struggler.
When you add in goals from the Europa League, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue, the 26-year-old has 14 this season.
Apart from his goals, it’s Beauvue’s high energy and never-give-up attitude that have been contagious for Guingamp this season.
Jordan Veretout: FC Nantes
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The emphasis at FC Nantes this season has been youth, which is exemplified by the performances of their young midfielder Jordan Veretout.
Playing in the centre of Michel Der Zakarian’s 4-4-2, Veretout has played superb as either the box-to-box runner or the No. 10 playmaker.
In his first season in Ligue 1, Veretout scored just once and contributed four assists. This season, he has announced himself onto the scene with six goals and another four assists, and that is still with half of the season to go.
Nabil Fekir: Olympique Lyonnais
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After only six starts in Ligue 1 last season, Nabil Fekir was only expected to make small steps in Lyon’s starting XI this year.
He impressed in the opening-day win over Rennes, but a shoulder injury ruled him out for three games. Once he made his return against Monaco, there has been no holding him back.
In 16 starts this season, Fekir has scored eight goals, has five assists and is one of the main reasons Lyon are top of Ligue 1 after 20 weeks.
With his low centre of gravity and powerful runs, he is a nightmare to stop. Add in his eye for a pass and ability to finish and Les Gones have one of the most exciting young players in Europe.
Stats via WhoScored.com unless otherwise noted.
