As part of this season's GFFNLigue 1 Guide (found HERE ), we look at which young stars could have breakout seasons in France's top flight
SORIBA DIAOUNE (19) FORWARD – LILLE OSC
A lasting criticism of Bruno Génésio's final season in charge of Lille was that Soriba Diaoune saw fairly limited action. Last season, the teenager made 17 appearances across all competitions for the senior team, but all but one of those were as a substitute in the dying minutes of matches. Among Lille supporters, there's great excitement over the teenage forward, whom many believe to be the next big attacker to emerge from the academy, and the great fear is that his development could be stunted with the large stockpile of attackers on the club's books.
He's been given opportunities during preseason under new head coach Davide Ancelotti, who has appreciated a player willing to play in any and every position that the Italian has asked of him. Ancelotti, however, does not yet see him as the finished product: "He needs a bit more consistency in his game. For that, we need calm and to give him time to progress."
Nick Hartland
MEZIAN MESLOUB (16) MIDFIELDER – RC LENS
Lens knew that they needed to tie Mezian Mesloub down on a professional contract this summer or risk losing a player many consider to be the brightest talent within the academy. It was no exaggeration to say that this was a priority for the club, and one they were successful in, fighting off interest from Benfica. The 16-year-old has already made his competitive debut for the club, scoring within five seconds of making his entrance against Nantes . A goal, as it happened, that would secure Lens's place in this year's Champions League. A lot is expected of the teenage attacking midfielder, and he's certainly one to keep an eye out for this season. Perhaps it's too early in his development for him to have a major impact on Lens' campaign, but he's been given a role within the club's preseason and has yet to disappoint.
Nick Hartland
PAPE CARBAL (19) MIDFIELDER – AS MONACO
Whilst Aladji Bamba got the big-money move to Newcastle United this summer, it could just as easily have been his fellow academy graduate Cabral. Like Bamba, Cabral broke through last season, but an injury prevented him from further establishing himself in midfield. He has already played for Les Bleus from U16 to U19 level and has already worn the armband for Monaco 's Groupe Élite during their UEFA Youth League campaign.
"He is an important player in this squad, one of our captains. He is a leader," said his youth-team manager, Djimi Traoré , at the time. In contrast to the more languid Bamba, Cabral is diminutive, but that doesn't stop him from having a significant physical impact, as Traoré also sought to highlight. There are positive signs that Cabral could play a more prominent role this season.
Bamba has left, Lamine Camara continues to be linked with a departure, and most tellingly, just weeks into Filipe Luís ' tenure as manager, the Principality club tied down their midfielder to a new contract that runs until 2031. Whilst it is a contract already in the works prior to the Brazilian's arrival on Le Rocher, Cabral has clearly shown signs that he is ready to play a more starring role ahead of the upcoming Ligue 1 campaign.
Luke Entwistle
XAVIER MANDZA (17) MIDFIELDER – OGC NICE
Whilst Nice couldn't convince Kail Boudache to sign a first professional contract with his formative club, they have managed to tie down Xavier Mandza, no small feat. Even prior to the signing of his first contract in July, he was the subject of abid from Juventus . After he featured against the Italian side in a pre-season friendly, that offer rose to €8m. And despite Le Gym's well-documented financial issues and need to sell, they resisted once again, putting a €40m price tag on the head of the new poster-boy of their academy.
Traditionally, Nice have not been a mass producer of talent, despite having a plentiful catchment area. But firstly with Evann Guessand , then Boudache, and now Mandza, that is beginning to change. Internally, there are very high hopes of the latter, hence their desperation to retain him, as welcome as any cash from his potential sale would be.
Despite coming through as a defensively-minded midfielder, Mandza could play a starring role this season as a defender. It is in this position that he has played under Olivier Pantaloni in pre-season. He could be the numerical replacement for former club captain Dante , who hung up his boots at the end of the season… and what boots they are to fill.
Luke Entwistle
REMI HIMBERT (18) FORWARD – OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS
Rémi Himbert has already given Lyon supporters plenty of reason to believe he can become one of Ligue 1's breakout stars this season. The 18-year-old enjoyed a promising breakthrough campaign last term, scoring three goals in 11 appearances for the first team. His first came on his first start, against PAOK in the Europa League, before he also found the net in Ligue 1 against Paris FC . Nevertheless, it has been his pre-season form that has really caught the eye.
Without a senior striking option available to Paulo Fonseca (at that moment in time), the Frenchman scored a hat-trick against Mâcon 71 before repeating the feat against St. Gallen, giving him six goals in Les Gones' first two friendlies. Lyon have since strengthened their attack with the arrival of Loïs Openda , but Himbert remains an intriguing option for Fonseca.
His movement, intelligence and finishing have already earned praise from the manager. With Champions League football also on the agenda for OL, there should be chances for Himbert, but his level has already shown that any minutes handed to the young Frenchman won't be gifted but very much deserved.
Liam Wraith
CHRIST BATOLA (17) FORWARD – ESTAC TROYES
Given ESTAC Troyes' link to Manchester City , Christ Batola would become one of the next ones to make a move to the Etihad, a step taken by Mathys Detourbet already this summer. The playmaker excelled in Ligue 2 with Troyes last season, helping his formative club to promotion. Detourbet, too, is a player to watch this season. He has joined AS Monaco on loan from the Cityzens.
Batola didn't have the same impact, only making one solitary appearance, off the bench in a Coupe de France tie last season However, Batola has been prolific at youth level for France and it is his finishing and ball-striking abilities more generally that catch the eye and will have clubs across Europe raising their eyebrows. His instinct in front of goal, and ability to work space in front of it, come naturally; it is something difficult to teach. He has that at 17 and so, depending on L'ESTAC's transfer dealings between now and the end of the window, Batola could potentially play a prominent role, especially given the departure of Tawfik Bentayeb, the club's top goalscorer last season.
Luke Entwistle
EMMANUEL MBEMBA (18) DEFENDER – PARIS FC
A left-footed defender, capable of playing at centre-back or at left-back, Emmanuel Mbemba's arrival at Paris FC is something of a coup. Cross-city rivals Paris Saint-Germain were desperate to tie the France U19 international down to a first professional deal. He has captained the club's U18 side and featured prominently in both the UEFA Youth League and the Coupe Gambardella.
However, competition for his signature was stern. As well as his formative club desperately trying to retain him, Arsenal presented their project, and Monaco were also in the race. It therefore came as something of a surprise when it was Paris FC who acquired his services. First-team chances could be more forthcoming at the Stade Jean-Bouin.
His pathway is currently blocked by the promising Nhoa Sangui at left-back, whilst Diego Coppola and Moustapha Mbow look to be first-choice centrally. Opportunities may arise over the course of the season. Mbemba could be there to profit, and, with the ambitious Paris FC project targeting European football, chances in the medium-term could be even more plentiful.
Luke Entwistle
TYRESE NOUBISSIE (17) MIDFIELDER – RC STRASBOURG
Strasbourg , under BlueCo, has essentially become a youth development project. That doesn't prevent them from having success on the pitch, and it is, in fact, their attractiveness to the best and brightest talents across the world that led them into Europe two seasons ago. Whilst many of those prospects are recruited from elsewhere – or loaned by partner club Chelsea – Le Racing are also capable of bringing players through their own academy.
Tyrese Noubissie is perhaps the player best placed to make the step from the academy to the first-team this season. The midfielder, who has represented both France and England at youth level (most recently the former at U17 level), was at the academies of Leicester City and Manchester City before making the move to Alsace. Noubissie has already made four appearances in Ligue 1, but in light of the departure of Valentín Barco, the left-footed player could push for more this time around.
Described as having a "complete" profile for a midfielder, there are high hopes for Noubissie at Strasbourg, who viewed the signing of the France U16 captain as something of a coup. Despite interest from elite clubs across Europe last summer, the midfielder instead opted to sign his first professional contract with Le Racing.
Luke Entwistle
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
