Barring a turnaround, Moussa Niakhaté should be an OL player for the coming season. At 28, the Senegalese defender comes to strengthen the Lyon central defense, even if he is not necessarily the profile initially sought.
Thursday was a rather good day for OL. A year after failing his oral exam, John Weaver has this time passed the DNCG obstacle without a hitch. The Lyon club will be free to move during the summer transfer window, even if it has surely had to make promises to the financial policeman regarding potential sales. Added to this good news was that Pierre has obtained his BEPF Sage and therefore an extension that should not be long in coming. All the lights are green and the good dynamic could also be reflected in the transfer window.
More than two weeks after the opening of the transfer market, OL will soon have their first summer recruit. This Friday, Moussa Niakhate must disembark between Rhône and Saône to undergo his medical examination and thus validate his transfer from Nottingham Forest. Looking for a central defender, the Lyon team therefore targeted this position as their first reinforcement. But who is Niakhate?
A vocal but calm leader
At 28 years old, the Lion of Teranga is far from being unknown in France. Firstly because he was born there, he, the native of Roubaix and learned his trade there Valenciennes then for a season FC Metz. However, by joining OL, Niakhaté will only play his second season in Ligue 1 after the exercise with the Metz club. Having started young, the central rock has above all acquired experience in the Bundesliga with Mainz where he revealed himself. Four seasons in Germany with convincing performances which pushed him to the French Espoirs before choosing Senegal. In a championship known for going a hundred miles an hour, Moussa Niakhaté quickly became indispensable, to the point of becoming captain of the German team.
This leadership is one of the qualities that comes to mind first when talking about the 28-year-old player. Whether it’s Mainz or at Nottingham Forest, opinions are unanimous on Niakhate’s mentality and his ability to be a vocal leader on and off the pitch. “He is quite disconcertingly calm and serene, Lee told us Clarkeworking for the Nottingham Forest News site. He never gets angry and is above all reassuring for his teammates.”
In addition, the NFFC follower highlights the strength of character of the former Messin and this will not hurt the Lyon defense. Even though they held the house last season, Jake O’Brien and Duje Caleta-Car were not necessarily vocal leaders. Not being hampered by the language barrier, Moussa Niakhaté will certainly bring a plus to the defensive sector.
Not the defensive booster hoped for
Left-handed as the Lyon management wanted, the Senegalese international does not, however, have the profile really sought by OL. In the Midlands, he did not really shine with his footwork, largely because Forest did not necessarily seek possession. Lee Clarke describes him as “a clean player with the ball, but he won’t necessarily take big risks”.
So it is not the profile of a relauncher that was targeted at the end of the season, which may suggest that the recruitment unit is perhaps thinking about another reinforcement, but right-handed and perhaps more affordable financially. Because even if the figures diverge, the arrival of Niakhaté will be between 20 and 30 million euros while he only had one year left on his contract (plus one in option). This significant sum will be good for Nottingham, in search of liquidity.
Weighed down by injuries in Nottingham
However, in England, we wonder about this price for a player who notably experienced “three major injuries since his arrival. A torn hamstring, which left him out for seven months, as well as a dislocated elbow and a wrist injury.” Not necessarily appointed by Nuno Spirit At the end of the last exercise, Moussa Niakhaté is an intriguing reinforcement.
On paper, it must provide real added value in leadership, but also in physical commitment, with “an aptitude in the duel, but also a real reading of the game to know when to engage or not. He is a player who is really consistent in his performances”. However, the compensation for his transfer raises some questions for a defender who has only played 37 games in two Premier League seasons.
