The transfer window many not have begun officially, but that hasn’t discouraged the clubs from moving to secure the hottest properties in world football under the sniffing noses of other potential suitors.
The Ligue 1, in recent years, has become a popular scouting spot for English Premier League clubs. From Eden Hazard to Dmitri Payet to Riyad Mahrez, Premier League’s recent success stories have honed their trade in the French first-tier.
One name that has been constantly linked with a move ashore over the past two transfer windows is Lille’s Moroccan attacking midfielder Sofian Boufal. Versatile, excellent dribbling skills and an eye for goal, Boufal possesses immense potential and can be deployed anywhere across the advanced midfield. Pacy wing play, tricky feet at his disposal and even a common club connection – Lille, comparisons with Chelsea star Eden Hazard were always coming. According to reports, he is on the radar of both the Blues, as well as Arsenal.
Just like any other import from the French Ligue 1, Boufal is a relatively unknown commodity to the football’s common masses. So what is it about him that has attracted the scouts from various top clubs across Europe? Here are few facts that need to be known about this rather exciting prospect:
#1 An Angers Youth Academy Product
Boufal joined Angers Sporting Club de l'Ouest as a mere 16-year-old, a club based in the city of Angers in the southwest of Paris. He went through their youth system from the U19 level to the B team before making his first senior team appearance as a late substitute in a 0-1 defeat at home to FC Istres during the 2012-13 season.
A first ever start followed soon after against the same opposition on the opening day of the next season, with Boufal grabbing eyeballs with a dominating display away from home, notching up two assists as Angers ran out winners 4-2.
Despite making a €4 million mid-season switch to Lille, starting in his natural right-wing position during the 2014-15 season, 4 goals and 3 assists from Boufal in a total of 16 appearances played a pivotal role in Angers’ push for promotion to the Ligue 1 for the first time in 21 years!
#2 Far from a perfect childhood
Less than 3 years ago, before he signed his first professional contract at Angers, Boufal had far from an athletic physique – standing at just 4ft 9in. Yes, a mere 145 meters!
“I had a lot of growing pains. It delayed my evolution. This is fate because I could not do anything against that. Fortunately, I’ve grown since." He recalls, on a particularly difficult start to his career.
He attributes his recent success to the physios and medical staff at Angers who had helped him get over this particularly difficult phase. Now at a healthy 5ft 6in, he’s grown considerably since and with that has come a steady rise in form.
#3 Eligible for France, chose Morocco!
Born on 17 September 1993, in the capital city of Paris to Moroccan parents, Boufal was naturally eligible to represent France. But in June 2014, the local media reported that the 21-year-old playmaker had decided to represent his country of origin, Morocco at the senior level before being ruled out of the Lions’ continental opener against Libya due to an injury.
Set to make his international debut against Sao Tome, Boufal was once again dropped for unknown reasons, with various sources suggesting he went back on his decision, terming it a mistake and expressing his desire to play for France.
With the sacking of head coach Badou Zaki and the arrival of Boufal’s former manager at Lille, Herve Renard at the helm, another change of heart prompted Boufal to pledge his loyalty to Morocco and he finally made his debut at Cape Verde in a 2017 African Cup of Nations qualification tie in March 2016.
#4 Recipient of the prestigious Marc-Vivien Foe Award
Despite Lille finishing 5th in the Ligue 1 standings, a whopping 36 points behind champions Paris Saint-Germain, Boufal stood out as an exceptional midfielder throughout the 2015-16 campaign with 11 goals and 5 assists against his name despite his season being curtailed due to an unfortunate knee ligament injury.
Recognized for his remarkable performances in what was only his first full season in top-flight football, the Morocco international was rewarded with the prestigious Marc-Vivien Foe Award, indicating his status as the Best African player in the 2015-16 Ligue 1 season.
The Marc-Vivien Foe Award recognizes the best player from the continent based on their performances in France over an entire season and is named after the Cameroonian midfielder who tragically died on the pitch during the 2003 Confederations Cup semi-final.
Selected as the unanimous deserving candidate for the award, Boufal joined an illustrious list of previous winners which boasts of the names such as Gervinho, Andre Ayew, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
#5 “Ronaldinho: Greatest of all time!”
While insisting that dribbling comes naturally to him, Boufal has often acknowledged the importance of the countless hours of street football in the streets of Angers in honing what has become the greatest asset to his game.
“I like to try things, to take players on and dribble with the ball. I played a lot of futsal when I was little and that helped me to work on my technique, to do nutmegs and flicks. I really like Ronaldinho… and Zidane. But more Ronaldinho… I loved the way he’d put on a show… I loved his dribbling, his pure skill. To me.. .best of all time.”
An unmistakable global icon and Brazilian star in Ronaldinho Gaúcho standing out as a predominant inspiration, it’s hardly a surprise why Boufal is so exceptional with regard to his wide array of moves and tricks!
