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The French football team have one of the best squads in the world right now. In fact, France have such good depth that even their B team can beat most of the other teams in the world.
The major reason why this is possible is because French players in top European leagues have been exceptionally good. While that is true, it is necessary for the players to play at the right club for their overall development.
Some French players should change clubs in 2022
As happens frequently in football, players are stuck at the wrong club and vice versa. The best example for this is that of Antoine Griezmann. He was a star at Atletico Madrid but once he joined Barcelona, he was not the same player.
Such scenarios are not uncommon in football. Sometimes it is the tactics, sometimes it is the player's form or sometimes it can be the desire to play elsewhere. On that note, let's take a look at some well-known French players who should look to change their clubs in 2022:
#5 Tanguy Ndombele (Tottenham Hotspur)
Tanguy Ndombele was one of the star players in Ligue 1 in the 2018-19 season. Courtesy of his impressive performances with Lyon, the Frenchman attracted interest from all around Europe.
Eventually, Tottenham Hotspur signed the French midfielder. Ndombele can play as a box-to-box midfielder and also as an attacking midfielder. With his dribbling skills, flair, passing, and shooting abilities, he is a very effective player in the middle of the park.
Unfortunately, the move to Spurs hasn't worked out well for Ndombele. The former Lyon midfielder has struggled to consistently perform at the level he is known for. He also faced issues in getting along with different managers associated with the north London club.
As a result, the 24-year old is not getting regular game-time. For him and the club's betterment, it is best that Ndombele leaves the club. It is believed the central midfielder was seeking a move away this summer but that has failed to materialize. Come 2022, it is very likely that Ndombele will turn up for a different club.
#4 Anthony Martial (Manchester United)
Anthony Martial was touted to be the next Thierry Henry when he played for AS Monaco. The French winger scored 11 goals and assisted in five others in Ligue 1 before signing for Manchester United in 2015.
The then Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believed Martial can go on to win big things in his career. Notably, Martial's contract at Manchester United had a clause that would be triggered if he ever won the Ballon d'Or, which explains how highly he was rated.
With his impressive dribbling and creative abilities, the former Monaco attacker did well in his first few years at United. His best form came in the 2019-20 season when he netted 23 goals in the Premier League for the Red Devils.
Apart from that, his contributions haven't been that significant. Given his potential, the French winger isn't even close to his best. Over the years, it has gotten frustrating for United fans to rely on Martial and it is justified.
It is rumored that the Premier League giants have asked Martial to find a new club given his unimpressive form. Unless Martial has a significant change in his fortunes by the end of the season, he's sure to move to a new club in 2020.
#3 Jules Kounde (Sevilla)
Jules Kounde started his career with French club Bordeaux in Ligue 1. Sensing his potential, Sevilla were quick to act and signed him in 2019.
The Frenchman is not the tallest of centre-backs but is quite an effective one. He's one of those rare centre-backs who has quick pace and strength at the same time. The other good thing about the former Bordeaux defender is his ability to play as a right-back. With all these qualities, Kounde is one of the most desirable defenders in football right now.
European champions Chelsea were very keen on getting the French defender on board this summer. The Blues were waiting to get Kurt Zouma's transfer to West Ham over the line but the delay in the deal meant Kounde's move was delayed too.
Sevilla reportedly initially agreed a fee of £42 million with Chelsea for the defender's transfer, but the Spanish club did a U-turn once Zouma was sold. The six-time Europa League champions then demanded a fee of £68 million which wasn't going to be feasible for the London club.
In the end, Kounde was forced to stay against his wishes. That being said, it won't be long before the centre-back pushes to finalize his transfer away from Sevilla.
#2 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
If there's one man who's always expected to be in the news, it's Paul Pogba. The personality of the Frenchman is immense and so is his talent. The midfielder has started the Premier League season in scintillating fashion after already registering seven assists to his name.
Pogba has been subject to a transfer for more than a year now. His agent Mino Raiola has openly claimed his client's desire to play for Real Madrid someday or may be a return to Turin. He was even vocal about his client's unhappy state at a certain time in his Manchester United career.
It all looks faded right now and nothing is certain. The signings of Cristiano Ronaldo, his compatriot Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho must encourage Pogba to stay. That being said, the French midfielder is yet to renew his contract which runs out at the end of this season.
Despite the squad's quality, United haven't been able to turnaround their form drastically. Failing to win the Europa League last season after reaching the finals was heartbreaking. Pogba is already 28 years old and given the fact that he has only won two trophies in more than five seasons with the Red Devils, it is disappointing.
With top European clubs still showing interest in the dashing midfielder, a move is likely to be on the cards next year. With his contract running out, a move could be sealed in the January transfer window itself should Manchester United fail to convince him.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
We are talking about the world's most expensive teenager here. Kylian Mbappe was signed by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from AS Monaco in 2018. Before that, the French attacker was superb for Monaco, scoring 15 goals in 29 Ligue 1 matches.
Ever since Mbappe joined Paris Saint-Germain, he has been nothing but a world-class attacker. In the 114 appearances that he has made for the Paris club in Ligue 1, he has managed to score 95 times and assist in 32 other goals.
It is incredible for a player of his age to achieve so much. Before he was signed by PSG, he was also approached by Real Madrid. The then Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane wanted to sign him but could not guarantee him regular game-time. With only that constraint, PSG won the battle to get his signature.
Mbappe has always been a Real Madrid fan and he was keen to join them this summer. Los Blancos had even tabled a bid for the 2018 World Cup winner but it was rejected by PSG. The French giants have now taken the risk of letting Mbappe go on a free next summer as his contract expires.
Mbappe is unlikely to renew his contract meaning the ball is entirely in Madrid's court. The 22-year-old is very much bound to fulfill his dream of playing for the 13-time UEFA Champions League winners in 2022.
