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This is taken from the GFFN 100, our leading 150-page FREE publication ranking the best 100 players in France, see the full list and read every profile right here.

Nicolás Tagliafico suffered through a difficult couple of years at his previous club, Ajax. As he approached the last year of his contract and the Amsterdammers looked to move on from their 2019 Champions League semi-final team, there was a feeling, on both sides, that it was time for the Argentine to get the move he had been after for some time. However, after a tumultuous couple of years of failed transfers, notably to Chelsea, and his place as a starter no longer guaranteed, Tagliafico’s previous list of suitors had weakened. In search of a dependable option at left-back, after loans and failed acquisitions, this presented a sizeable opportunity for Ligue 1 club, Lyon.

A signing which has gone somewhat under the radar, Lyon were able to acquire the services of the Argentine international for just under £4m. As the World Cup approached, life in Lyon couldn’t have been better for Tagliafico. He’s nailed down the starting spot at OL and has dramatically impacted the defensive security down Lyon’s left flank. Alongside providing some much-needed defensive relief, he’s also making an impact in forward areas, the former Banfield and Independiente man providing three goal contributions in his first 13 appearances.

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Questioned were raised by many when the defender arrived in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region over whether he still possessed the same quality which saw the now 30-year-old labelled as one of the best full-backs in Europe, Tagliafico has proved his doubters wrong as one of the signings of the season in France.

Tagliafico has arguably been the best defensive full-back in Europe this season. No full-back in world football beats him for tackles won per 90 minutes this campaign, with an impressive 2.52 by the start of November. He’s also difficult to beat one-on-one, with almost two dribblers tackled per 90, while also only being dribbled past less than once every two games. He also ranks in the top three per cent of all full-backs in Europe for tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes.

Beyond boasting impressive defensive numbers, his overall impact on the OL defence speaks volumes. Featuring predominantly on the left side alongside teenage centre-back Castello Lukeba, who, despite displaying tremendous talent for his age, can be naïve at times, Tagliafico has brought calmness to the Frenchman’s game. As a result, Lyon’s number four looks more comfortable than ever at the heart of the defence and the left side of the back line has become an area of strength rather than a weakness for OL.

During Lionel Scaloni’s tenure as Argentina coach, La Albiceleste have often been criticised for being rather top-heavy and fragile in the defence. Considering their immense quality in midfield and attack, before the World Cup their defence was often blamed for their downfall. Tagliafico, however, can be relied upon to match the world’s best forwards while bringing a sense of resolve.

The roles of a team’s full-backs have changed in the modern game and, if top teams are to have any success, attacking prowess from their full-backs is likely to play a part. In his successful, but brief, time at Lyon, Tagliafico has had a decisive impact in the attacking phases of play.

Tagliafico’s full-back counterpart on the right at OL, Malo Gusto, has garnered plaudits for the number of chances he creates with his crossing ability but this is something that Lyon have been able to benefit from on both flanks thus far since the Argentinian’s arrival and the 30-year-old ranks in the top nine per cent of full-backs for assists so far this season with 0.21 per 90 minutes. Alongside his assists, he is also creating lots of chances with 2.58 shot-creating actions per 90per cent2 passes into the penalty area. This overall support play in attacking phases of play has ultimately seen Tagliafico be lauded as OL’s standout performer in what has, so far been an underwhelming season for Les Gones.

This combined with his aforementioned defensive quality makes him a man for the big moments. Much of the focus will be on Lyon’s attacking options under new coach Laurent Blanc as Ligue 1 resumes from the World Cup break, but, if his early season form is anything to go by, Tagliafico could yet be a difference-maker too.

Liam Wraith

RMC Sport report this afternoon that after his return to training this morning, it now appears increasingly likely that Kylian Mbappé will be in action for Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, as they host Strasbourg for the return of the Ligue 1 season.

The forward’s return to the Camp des Loges training ground, just three days after scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final, had been kept a secret, with the tournament’s Golden Boot winner looking to move swiftly on after coming agonisingly close to a second title.

The PSG management have been all too happy to welcome Mbappé back into the fray, with the forward deciding to skip the holidays he would have been allowed to take. After the match against the Alsatians, the league leaders face a daunting trip north to take on second-place Lens on New Year’s Day.

Other World Cup participants such as Pablo Sarabia and Carlos Soler are likely to be involved, while there is uncertainty over when those who went further in the competition – notably Lionel Messi –  will return to the French tapial.

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As reported by various outlets including La Provence, World Cup finalists Mattéo Guendouzi and Jordan Veretout have returned to training with Marseille, just over a week after the end of the tournament in Qatar.

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Both midfielders made just the one appearance across the tournament, with Didier Deschamps selecting them to start in the final match of Les Bleus’ group stage campaign, a 1-0 loss to Tunisia. It was the former Arsenal man’s seventh senior cap, while Veretout, an unexpected addition to the squad, was honouring his sixth appearance for the national team.

OM return to action on Wednesday night as they host Toulouse, with Igor Tudor’s men looking to claw back an eleven-point deficit on leaders Paris Saint-Germain, having been within touching distance in second place for much of the first half of the season before slipping down. They then travel along the coast to face Montpellier at the turn of the year.

Speaking ahead of AS Monaco’s Ligue 1 fixtures against AC Ajaccio, Alexander Nübel (26) has said that he is happy at the Principality club, adding that the club doesn’t want to let him return to Bayern Munich this winter. 

Nübel is 18 months into his two-year loan deal from the German champions. However, following a season-ending injury to number one goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, it had been reported that Bayern Munich were keen on repatriating their player. 

Reacting to the rumours that he would return to Bayern Munich this month to deputies for Neuer, Nübel said that all of his energy and focus is on Monaco. He added, “In the end, the decision [to return to Bayern Munich] lies with Monaco. They have the right to decide this winter and they told me that they don’t want to give me up. I haven’t really had any conversation with Bayern. That’s why I’m here and I’m really happy that I’m still here.” 

Responding to a question from Get French Football News’ Luke Entwistle about his long-term future, and the possibility of remaining at Monaco beyond his current loan deal, Nübel said, “The next weeks and months are more important than what comes after. The focus is still on the season. It is important to keep my thoughts on this. For sure there will be some conversations here with the club and also with Bayern Munich as well as other options. My agent is doing this. The most important thing is Monaco and nothing else is on my mind.”

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This is taken from the GFFN 100, our leading 150-page FREE publication ranking the best 100 players in France, see the full list and read every profile right here.

David da Costa, RC LensBorn in Portugal, da Costa has been with Lens since 2013, his family having moved to France when he was just nine, and his slow-burning improvement has continued apace this season, having signed his first professional contract in 2019. Now an undisputed starter for a team who have been impressive front to back this season, having displaced Gaël Kakuta, the diminutive da Costa is comfortable pulling wide or driving at players centrally, at once supporting the team’s attackers and creating space for them. With pace to burn, his flashy, high-energy style is a perfect complement to the team’s approach.

Anthony Rouault, Toulouse FCThe youngest member of the promoted side’s back four, Rouault has often been its most impressive, having notched more than sixty appearances for the club since making his debut in 2020. A foot injury slowed his progress towards the end of 2021, but this year, he’s barely missed a match, showing himself to be a commanding presence in the air, and a canny operator in the tackle — he has yet to receive a booking this season. Relatively fleet of foot for a centre back as well, Rouault also has shown an impressive range of passing, and looks to be one of what’s fast becoming an impressive crop of young French defenders.

Farès Chaïbi, Toulouse FCSince returning from an appendectomy in late August, Chaïbi has been integral to Toulouse’s attacking play, despite having just turned twenty. A creative player with a deceptive level of strength, even as Les Violets have struggled at times to adapt to life in the top flight, he has scarcely seemed out of place. For a player whose professional debut only came at the beginning of the season, he has been mightily impressive, notching two goals and adding four assists, his ability to play in multiple positions helping the team manage a variety of absences. Expect plenty more to come from Chaïbi, particularly once the team’s top flight survival is closer to being sealed.

Désire Doué, Stade RennaisThe youngest player on this list, Doué is also the one from whom the most is expected. Just 17, he’s already scored three times for Rennes this season, an impressive return given the collection of more established attacking talent at Bruno Génésio’s disposal. There is still much to be fine-tuned about his game, but his versatility and eye for goal mark him as one for the future. Comfortable anywhere from a box-to-box role to playing off of a central striker, Doué has creativity and fearlessness to spare, and has become an increasingly important option for Génésio off the bench, a trend which should continue apace in 2023.

Kamory Doumbia, Stade de ReimsA product of the same Malian academy, JMG, that has also produced Cheick Doucouré and Hamari Traoré, Doumbia has impressed for Reims despite his youth and having to play in a rather thankless position, although the latter of these could be changing. In the early part of the season, he played behind the duo of Junya Ito and Folarin Balogun, and was often forced to spend more time pressing than using his ability on the ball. However, since the start of Will Still’s tenure as head coach and the attendant switch to a 4-2-3-1, he has prospered as an orthodox ten, linking play and showing his ability on the ball more readily — there’s more to come from Doumbia.

Lucas Chevalier, Lille OSC Ligue 1 is currently home to a pair of goalkeepers known for their extreme precociousness in Alban Lafont and Gianluigi Donnarumma, still both just 23, but in a position not known for young players breaking through, Chevalier could be making a go of joining them. Since his replacing Léo Jardim in goal for Les Dogues, the team have repositioned themselves as a bona fide European contender, losing only to Marseille, Lyon and Lorient. Some of this is down to the team’s attacking prowess, of course, but Chevalier’s saves and sense of occasion will have played their part as well.

Wilson Odobert, ESTAC TroyesMight Odobert be another of the seemingly legion number of players who fall under the category of the one who got away for PSG? Despite playing in a rather moribund side, in terms of their attacking prowess, the winger, who was just 17 when the season started, has flourished, not only becoming Troyes second-youngest goalscorer but regularly displaying an uncommon ability on the ball. With five goal involvements in just under 700 minutes — no mean feat given Troyes’ tactics — he has even kept players like Rony Lopes and Renaud Riaprt out of the team, underscoring that he is a player for the present and the future.

Maghnes Akliouche, AS MonacoA regular presence in Monaco’s squads and indeed even starting eleven at times since the arrival of Philippe Clement, Akliouche can play either wide on either flank or centrally as a number ten. Gifted with a fine eye for a pass, and a deceptive strength despite his wiry frame, he has been helped by injuries and fixture congestion for the Monégasques this season, but there’s no doubt he’s coming into his own, having scored four times and added three assists for France’s U-20s as well. Another player who could perhaps do with a loan spell in Ligue 1, his creativity could help any number of struggling sides.

Théo Le Bris, FC Lorient Given Le Bris almost made the 100, he was one of our easiest choices to make for the ten to watch. The nephew of manager Régis Le Bris, he has impressed in a number of positions, filling in for Gédéon Kalulu when the former Ajaccio right back was injured, and more recently on the left wing. A precocious talent who was a regular for the reserves at 17, he’s a willing runner, an adept tackler and inventive with the ball at his feet. He still needs a bit of polish, especially in his defensive positioning, but he has all the makings of an archetypal live-wire fullback.

Matthis Abline, Stade RennaisAbline is a player who’s been threatening to break through at Rennes for some time, having made his professional debut just weeks after his 18th birthday. The arrivals of Martin Terrier, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Amine Gouiri have blocked his path, but he sparkled in a loan spell with Le Havre last season, scoring six goals in sixteen matches. After impressing with the U-20s as captain, he’s also been capped for Les Espoirs, netting in his first start and has scored for Rennes as well, including in the Europa League. A skilled dribbler and an astute finisher, Abline could well be in line for a loan to a Ligue 1 club this month, as he looks increasingly a complete attacking player.

Eric Devin | GFFN

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Eliesse Ben Seghir looks set to start his third consecutive match for AS Monaco when they come up against AC Ajaccio later today at the Stade Louis II. 

After scoring a brace on his Ligue 1 debut against Auxerre in late December, Ben Seghir has started both matches since. He has replaced prolific goalscorer Wissam Ben Yedder in the starting XI, with Clement opting for a change of shape and adding a #10 element to his squad. 17-year-old Ben Seghir is the major beneficiary of this change. 

A place on the right of midfield is up for grabs. Krépin Diatta, Gelson Martins, Maghnes Akliouche and Takumi Minamino are all vying for the position, but none have overwhelmingly convinced when given their chance. Martins, who has looked more confident since the World Cup break, is out injured, opening the door for Diatta and Minamino in particular. However, after scoring his first professional goal in Monaco’s Coupe de France defeat against Rodez, Akliouche is an outside shout for a starting spot. 

Monaco predicted XI vs Ajaccio

Alexander Nübel – Caio Henrique, Guillermo Maripán, Axel Disasi, Vanderson –  Mohamed Camara, Youssouf Fofana – Aleksandr Golovin, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Krépin Diatta – Breel Embolo.

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Brazilian side Vasco de Gama have signed OGC Nice centre-back Robson Bambu (25) on a 12-month loan in a deal that includes a purchase option. 

Bambu, who has only made 23 appearances for Nice since his arrival from Santos in 2020 had only just completed a year-long loan spell at Brazilian rivals Corinthians. That deal expired in December, and the defender, who has featured at youth level for Brazil, is set to stay in the country. 

Vasco de Gama have announced his signature, and the loan includes an option to make the move permanent for a €2.5m fee. The deal runs until 31st December 2023. Bambu’s deal with Les Aiglons runs until 2025. 

The Brazilian is the third departure from the club so far this January. Mads Bech Sörensen has returned to Brentford after seeing his loan spell cut short, whilst Kasper Dolberg has also left on loan to join German side Hoffenheim. 

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Foot Mercato report tonight that Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson is looking to engineer a return to France, in light of his lack of game time with the Premier League side this season.

However, the 28-year-old, who has just the one substitute appearance this season, has turned down two approaches from Ligue 1 sides in Strasbourg and Auxerre.

Sanson has told his club he wants to leave, and the Villans will not stand in the former French youth international’s way should a loan offer come in. A return to his former club Marseille, who he left for England 2020, would be the midfielder’s preferred outcome, but OM are currently not interested in bringing him back.

The midfielder is also open to a return to another one of his former clubs in Montpellier, who have yet to make a decision on his potential signing. Meanwhile, Nantes have Sanson among their potential January targets.

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According to a report from La Dépêche du Midi, Ligue 1’s Toulouse FC are close to acquiring the signature of Dutch-Bosnian striker Saïd Hamulić from Polish side Stal Mielec.

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Toulouse, 12th in Ligue 1 at the season’s halfway point, have already made two signings this January, after the arrival of two full-backs: Norwegian Warren Kamanzi and Chile’s Gabriel Suazo. 22-year-old Hamulić will hope to shore up their attack, at a cost of €2.2m on a three-and-a-half year deal. He has passed his medical with Le Téfécé, with whom the deal is all but done.

Toulouse will delight at both Hamulić’s recent form and his performances overall this season: he has six goals and two assists in his last seven league games. He is also this season’s joint-top scorer in the Ekstraklasa, Poland’s top league, with nine goals and four assists across 17 appearances. Previously, he played in the Lithuanian and Bulgarian leagues.

 

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According to L’Équipe, Terem Moffi (23) has refused the chance to join Olympique de Marseille. The Nigerian forward is intent on joining OGC Nice, who are now closing in on a deal. 

Les Aiglons have already formulated three offers for the FC Lorient forward, and are now preparing a fourth bid to finally land the striker that they have coveted for almost the entire transfer window. 

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Marseille, who had a player-plus-cash bid accepted by Les Merlus earlier this week now look set to miss out. Bamba Dieng, who almost joined Nice in the summer, was included as part of the deal, and the player is already in Lorient ahead of the deal. However, with Moffi seemingly no longer moving in the opposite direction, a standard transfer, for a fee reported to be €9m, is being negotiated. Dieng is still expected to undergo his medical today, and should an agreement between Lorient and Marseille be reached, the Senegalese forward would sign a four-and-a-half-year deal. 

Pablo Longoria had travelled to Lorient to convince Moffi to join but without success. The Nigerain for the past weeks has had his heart set on a move to the Allianz Riviera, and therefore politely refused Marseille’s approach. He is now awaiting the outcome of the negotiations between Nice and Lorient.