Author: DELEITURAS

Ligue 1 is known for utilizing and developing their youth talent to the point the league has even coined itself as “The League of Talents”. Some clubs more than others are known for their academy products, but who actually used their youth players the most this season? 

In a report published by Ouest-France that questioned was answered. Each Ligue 1 team was ranked by their utilization of their young players, 21-years-old or younger, and how many minutes they actually played on the field. 1 – MHSC

Montpellier was not only ranked number 1 but was especially impressive with 7 players 20-years-old or young. The young players of La Paillade have played 3730 minutes of field-time since the start of the season. Given that the total amount for each club was 14,850 minutes (15 days played x 90 minutes x 11 starters), Montpellier’s youth represents 25.4% of the entire total, the highest record at the current time.

The eight players involved : Axel Guegin, Khalil Fayad, Elye Wahi, Béni Makouana, Enzo Tchato, Maxime Estève, Sacha Delaye and Joris Chotard.

2 – OL

OL is renowned for their academy products. This year is no different. Les Gones’ fell just behind the MHSC, with 3,612 minutes given to their prodigies during the 2022-2023 season, which is equivalent to 24.5% of the total. While the payoff on the league table has not been the same as past years, OL’s youth are top talents in not only Ligue 1, but the world.

The six players involved : Sael Kumbedi, Rayan Cherki, Malo Gusto, Johann Lepenant, Castello Lukeba and Bradley Barcola. 

3 – Rennes

In third, Rennes were a team that actually used their young talent to find success on the league table in third. Like the other two clubs mentioned, the Bretons have a playing time of more than 3000 minutes for their U21s. With 3331 units granted to their proteges, the winners of the Coupe de France 2019 therefore represent 22.4% of the total. 

The eight players concerned : Désiré Doué, Lesley Ugochuwku, Matthis Abline, Jérémy Doku, Dogan Alemdar, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Christopher Wooh.

In last, RC Lens had the least amount of youth minutes in league play. Only one youngster used (3 minutes, 0.02% of the total), but that did not prevent the Lens from performing in the league. The Blood and Gold sit in second just behind PSG. It is worth noting that Lens do have a strong academy, but you can not argue with their league production.

The full list does not directly correlate to the league table, but it does paint a picture of the clubs and who they are at least for this season.  

1. Montpellier Hérault SC: 3730 minutes (25.4% of the total)

2. Olympique Lyonnais: 3,612 (24.5%)

3. Stade Rennais FC: 3,331 (22.4%)

4. Reims Stadium: 2,871 (19.7%)

5. FC Lorient: 2,350 (15.9%)

6. ESTAC Troyes: 1,655 (11.2%)

7. FC Nantes: 1,226 (8.3%)

8. Toulouse FC: 1,133 (7.7%)

9. PSG: 1007 (6.8%)

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10. RC Strasbourg Alsace: 889 (6.0%)

11. LOSC: 854 (5.8%)

12.OGC Nice: 760 (5.2%)

13. AS Monaco: 675 (4.6%)

14. AC Ajaccio: 519 (3.5%)

15. Angers SCO: 311 (2.1%)

16. AJ Auxerre: 243 (1.7%)

17. Stade Brestois 29: 149 (1.0%)

18. Olympique de Marseille: 65 (0.4%)

19. Clermont Foot 63: 39 (0.3%)

20. RC Lens: 3 (0.02%)

Christophe Galtier’s lineup may not have looked like the usual starting 11, but against Châteauroux they had the type of results that they are accustomed to – winning. As a coach, the former Saint-Étienne manager is used to making the best out of what he has available. Against any team, there is always a chance of error with a starting team largely made of young players. 

The PSG coach spoke about the missing players stating, “We are going to recover players for Angers. We must quickly find a group in line with PSG and the ambitions we have. I know that it is difficult post-World Cup, everyone has to remobilize and refocus on the team and the game.” 

His comments may have been as simple as motivation to his locker room or a direct warning to his players to refocus for the mission ahead.  

Even with players returning forecasting how long it will take to be fit can be impossible. “Some have returned at a certain time but they take time to recover, on a daily basis, in the club. We have a lot of players absent this evening, we will see who we will be able to recover for Wednesday’s match against Angers.

Galtier is in a difficult situation with injuries, the weight of a club competing in several competitions, but also with what comes with having a successful club around World Cup time. PSG had several players at the tournament and while there is a great honor in that it also hurts the club team in the short term with fatigue and long term if there was an injury. 

The French coach continued, “We realize that the teams that have had a lot of players at the World Cup are struggling to restart. Everyone will have to quickly refocus, refocus on the game, on the team, and the objectives that we have defined.”

PSG luckily has time before the Champions League kicks off and a fairly manageable schedule for the month of January outside of a very tough away match with Rennes. 

 

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As reported by L’Équipe, Lionel Messi is due to make his return to training for Paris Saint-Germain today – although he will only be one of few taking to the pitch at the Camp des Loges, given the rest of the team were given a day’s rest.

The World Cup winner was granted ten days’ rest after his exploits in Qatar with Argentina, and on his first day back will undergo a routine medical check and a light training session.

Also expected at the training ground throughout the day are those currently treating injuries – Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes, namely – as well as those making their return from physical issues in Renato Sanches and Timothée Pembélé.

A recovery session took place in the aftermatg of the defeat to Lens on Sunday night, with the squad expected back tomorrow to prepare for the Coupe de France tie against Châteauroux on Friday evening.

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Foot Mercato report this afternoon that Aston Villa have joined fellow Premier League side Everton in the race to sign out-of-favour Lyon striker Moussa Dembélé this month.

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The former Celtic forward’s contract expires at the end of the season, and despite his 21 league goals last season he has been used only sparingly by Les Gones this year, and has found the net only twice. Overall, he has made 15 appearances, including just seven starts. This summer, the Frenchman had been the subject of interest from West Ham, Fulham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, but decided to stay in Ligue 1.

Lyon are open to a sale, although the Birmingham outfit would rather bring him in on a free transfer at the end of the season. Unai Emery was keen on signing Dembélé during his time at Paris Saint-Germain, and is intent on getting his many this time round. The departure of Danny Ings for West Ham could accelerate a potential deal.

Lyon intend to keep sought-after French right-back Malo Gusto (19) on loan until the end of the season, according to a report from Sacha Tavolieri. The journalist adds that Chelsea are willing to accept a six-month loan deal for the young Lyon prospect, who wishes to join the Graham Potter-led side as soon as possible.

It was reported earlier this Tuesday that Chelsea were willing to bid between 30 and €40m for the signing of Lyon’s right-back. Manchester United are also said to monitor the situation regarding Gusto. The Blues have given the Frenchman assurances regarding the playing time he will be granted, despite Reece James’ recent long-term contract extension until 2028 with Chelsea.

If Lyon were to fail to find an agreement with Chelsea regarding Gusto’s loan deal with Les Gones until the end of the season, OL would compete with Arsenal for the signing of promising Spanish Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda (18).

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Inter defender Milan Škriniar has already agreed and signed a contract with Paris Saint-Germain to join the club this summer, and the Parisian side have reportedly submitted an offer to bring the defender to the club early, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Italian club, however, want €20m if they are to let the Slovakian international leave before the end of this transfer window. 

Romano also reports that the Škriniar had a full agreement in place with PSG in July, but his club did not want to sell him to the Ligue 1 side. 

It was previously reported that Škriniar was not going to extend his contract with Inter, before L’Équipe reported that he had made an agreement to join PSG in the summer – now work in ongoing to try and bring the defender to the French capital before the conclusion of the January transfer window. 

The defender was the Ligue 1 leaders’ leading defensive target this summer, and was the subject of a number of offers – but the Serie A side held out for a fee much higher than what PSG were willing to put on the table, the final offer having been set at €55m.

 

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RMC Sport report this afternoon that Lorient are closing in on the loan signing of Paris Saint-Germain midfield prospect Ayman Kari.

The 18-year-old will join the Breton outfit – currently in 6th place, having been Ligue 1’s surprise package so far this campaign – on a deal that could extend into next season. Talks over the last few days have centred around whether or not a permanent option will be included in the deal.

Kari had been the subject of interest from a number of Ligue 1 clubs for a loan move, having signed his first professional contract with the Ligue 1 leaders this month. He has yet to appear for the senior side, but has trained on a number of occasions with the first team as part of a group of promising talents coming through the ranks. The central midfielder has been a regular fixture in PSG’s Youth League campaigns for the past two seasons.

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Foot Mercato report that Premier League side Bournemouth came close to adding another Ligue 1 regular to their spendthrift January window in Strasbourg midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, in a deal which fell through after the 24-year-old picked up an ankle injury.

The relegation battlers, who signed Dango Ouattara from Lorient, were about to submit an offer for the former Lens man, before a challenge in the Alsatians’ match against Lyon in January saw him come off early and rule him out of action, with his return expected midway through the month.

Strasbourg are themselves struggling this season, with Bellegarde one of too few performing players in a team that’s slumped into a relegation fight despite their sixth-place finish last year. The 24-year-old, a former French youth international, has made 19 appearances so far, scoring once and registering five assists, now on his fourth season with the club after making the move from his formative side in Lens.

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Gabby Agbonlahor has clearly not been impressed by Gary McAllister’s role at Aston Villa, accusing the assistant manager of “just doing kick ups”.

Steven Gerrard was sacked by Villa in awkward circumstances on Thursday after their 2-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The Liverpool legend insisted he was a “fighter” in his post-match interview before being relieved of his duties around 90 minutes later, and then had to endure the team coach ride home with the players which were no longer his.

And Agbonlahor, Villa’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, said that although he was desperate for Gerrard to be a success at Villa Park, he concedes that the owners were left with little option but to show him the door after a “shambles” of a performance.

“We played against Steven Gerrard so I really wanted it to work because of the player he was and the respect I had for him,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT.

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“But every game that goes on you think how much more can you take? How much more can you back him?

“I think it was the right call. Villa fans were fed up with it but they put up a spirited performance against Chelsea so you think let’s give him Fulham.

“That performance tonight, they weren’t first to any balls, they weren’t pressing as a team. It was a shambles.”

But Agbonlahor was less than complimentary about Gerrard’s assistant Gary McAllister, urging his former club not to “bring him back ever again” after he failed in his first spell under Gerard Houllier and in the last few months “he just done kick ups”.

Agbonlahor tweeted: ‘Gary maccalister by the way! This guy done nothing when he was at villa under houllier! The cheek to come back! He just done kick ups and wanted to join in games Don’t bring him back ever again.’

Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are thought to be high on Villa’s wishlist but they are also ‘considering’ Brentford boss Thomas Frank, who may be a more viable apppointment.