Should more people notice Ligue 2 in France? For its part, the French Ligue 1 is renowned as a league that produces talent at a rate arguably higher than any other in the world, such as the blackjack produces chances for profit.
Virtually every major European club has at least one holder who has emerged thanks to an academy in his Championship, but while the focus is on capturing emerging top talent, it would be remiss to suggest that he does not. There is no more depth in the house of world champions. Just as the Championship of England is an extremely competitive league, the French Ligue 2 often provides the setting for remarkable fights for promotion.
Amiens is one of the many teams in recent years that have advanced to the Premier Division after immediately winning promotion to the National, while relatively upscale clubs such as Lens and Le Havre have discovered just how complicated this division is, as they don’t ‘failed to regain their place soon after relegation.
And while Ligue 2 clubs may be less prolific in terms of talent production, there remains a constant flow of quality through youngsters who have gone through their own systems or been overlooked elsewhere.
Perhaps two of the most prominent figures right now are Tottenham midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who played for Amiens during their promotion season before moving on to Lyon and then Spurs for € 62million.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez only left Le Havre for Leicester at 24. Just a few weeks ago, he finished 10th in the Ballon d’Or poll.
So the talent is there if it’s looked for in the right places, and here are some potential stars for the future who have found their way under the mainstream radar in Ligue 2.
TINO KADEWERE (LE HAVRE)
The former Ligue 2 top scorer is a man who has gained attention over the past year. Signed by Le Havre from Djurgardens in Sweden, the Zimbabwe international was slow to settle in France at the start, but became very skilled in the face of goal, scoring 18 times in 22 matches. Confidence, he has scored a goal every 105 minutes, he’s been on the pitch in a league where it’s notoriously difficult to find the net. Indeed, the average Ligue 2 match only has 2.21 goals per match. In January, he signed for Lyon for an estimated fee of around € 10million, but has attracted interest from clubs such as Eintracht Frankfurt and Celtic. OL have proven to have had a keen eye for talent at this level in the past, with the most notable example Ndombele, and it looks like they’ve landed another rising star.
ADRIAN GRBIC (CLERMONT)
Without a youth academy to speak of, Clermont is a club that has thrived against all odds at this level thanks to its savvy work in the transfer market. Players are spotted every summer, often for free, before being transferred for large sums a year or two later. Maintaining that ability to continue to find talent is extremely difficult but Clermont continues to find aces, the latest of which is Austria’s 23-year-old striker Adrian Grbic, who arrived as a free agent six months earlier. The former Under-21 international carried his team offensively, scoring 16 goals in 22 appearances. The center-forward may look like a stereotypical target man, but he has a lot more strings to his bow, including a strong ability on set pieces and an ability to score spectacular goals from a distance. If Clermont does not take the big step towards Ligue 1 this season, he has become their last major sale with a transfer of around 10 million euros to Lorient in Ligue 1.
CHEICK DOUCOURE (LENS)
Lens may be a small former mining center in north-eastern France, but it’s also one of the most passionate footballing cities in the country, with a club whose achievements have always gone beyond what would logically seem possible. The latest player to have aroused enthusiasm at Stade Bollaert is the product of the youth academy Cheick Doucoure, who is already a Malian international, who was only 20 years old a few months ago. He was spotted at the Under-17 World Cup in 2017. Forgotten by the big European clubs, Lens took advantage: in the 18 months he was involved in the professional team, his performances have steadily improved. improved and his repertoire of play has expanded. Originally signed as a defensive midfielder, he was occasionally used in other positions, where his strength and reading of the game impressed. He also uses the ball well and his ability to throw himself has helped Lens break down teams that are usually deep down and defend against them. Nice offered interest last summer but wanted to stay and develop their game in the North, and there will surely be some great offers in June…
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