Seko Fofana: €40m Lens midfielder could be a bargain for Arsenal or Newcastle

Robin Bairner

25 Jun 2022 08:56 CDT
3 min read

Lens midfielder Seko Fofana is a player who is set to feature prominent in football transfer news over the summer window, with a string of high-profile clubs chasing him.

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PSG are thought to be leading the race for the Ivory Coast international midfielder, but they are presently locked in talks with Lens over a transfer fee. Their Ligue 1 rivals are demanding around €30-40m for their star player.

Les Parisiens remain interested, with L’Equipe reporting that Kylian Mbappe has given the 27-year-old his stamp of approval.

Meanwhile, there is interest from the Premier League in the form of Newcastle and Arsenal, but while these clubs are outsiders in this race because the player wants to remain in France, Fofana would be a highly attractive signing for either team.

Fofana is regarded as one of the best footballers in Ligue 1 and finished comfortably in L’Equipe’s Top 10 players of the 2021/22 season, based on their ratings given on a weekly basis. In addition, he was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season and won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foe, which is awarded to the best African player in France.

Seko Fofana's strengths and weaknesses

Although he is considered to be a box-to-box player, it is his attacking qualities that are often to the fore. He dribbles well, possesses an excellent long-range shot and is also a significant threat from set pieces. Fofana did not rate well in terms of his passing last season, but given the direct nature of Lens’ attacking play, this was not such a big issue for them.

Indeed, it was the cut-and-thrust nature of his play from the midfield that made him such an exciting player to watch. He would often be found around the opponents’ penalty area, supporting his forward players, and it was in these situations that he excelled.

Moreover, he played virtually every minute of the season for Lens, speaking volumes about his durability.

The difference between Fofana and a player like Aurelien Tchouameni, who recently left Monaco to move to Real Madrid for €100m, is that he is not as strong defensively. Fofana does not rate well in terms of his ball recovery or pressing.

Indeed, Arsenal could not sign him as an alternative to Youri Tielemans, for example. He does not control the play but tends to barrel through it, bringing a tempo of his own to a match.

He has to be given a very specific job in the midfield, but given the freedom to attack, he could be a very potent player for a club like Arsenal or Newcastle.