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Ligue 2 players to watch


Adrian Grbic (striker, 23, Clermont)

Despite the price drop expected on the summer transfer market, Clermont could make a very good operation thanks to his Austrian striker (23), second top scorer in Ligue 2 (17 goals) behind the future Lyonnais Tino Kadewere. Beautiful, and unexpected a few months ago, since the Auvergne club went to look for Grbic in the modest and little-known Altach club last summer. Brest, Lorient and Lens would be particularly interested, ASSE and OM to a lesser extent. But Clermont could also delay and wait for the international transfer window, as one Bundesliga club and another Premier League club are on the job, as President Ahmet Schaefer said.

Ibrahim Sissoko (striker, 24, Niort)

Recruited in the summer of 2019 to replace Ande Dona Ndoh (Nancy), the 24-year-old center-forward put 15 goals with Niort in the league, despite the complicated season of the Chamois and despite the fact that he was still an amateur there three years ago. If it is still under contract until 2022, the Deux-Sèvres club will obviously not be able to resist a big summer offer.

Amine Bassi (attacking midfielder, 22, Nancy)

“Punished” at the start of the season for trying to force his departure to Metz, the young playmaker quickly returned to Nancy’s starting eleven, where he was the team’s technical surety. His 2019-2020 fiscal year did not go unnoticed (4 goals, 4 assists), and if he only has one year left in his contract, Bassi is surely the player from Lorraine with the highest market value. The “Neymar de Nancy”, so nicknamed for his dribbling side, recently entrusted France Football with his “hunger to play above”.

Kiki Kouyaté (defender, 23, Troyes)

Like Grbic, it’s hard not to mention the name of the ESTAC defender at the opening of the transfer window. Because the former Sporting Portugal player with an imposing physique (1.92m) has shown that he can be a robust stopper, but also a skilled raiser and even… a finisher, with 5 goals in 18 games in L2, and a another in the League Cup. Lens, Metz, Angers and Dijon, all in Ligue 1 next season, are among the clubs interested. Coming to the information several weeks ago, AS Saint-Etienne would have finally stepped back on this file. Two foreign clubs are also on the ranks. If his value dropped with the crisis and his abdominal injury (he has hardly played since January), a sum of 5 million euros is regularly raised about him.

Stéphane Diarra (striker, 21, Le Mans)

Already very good in National in 2018-2019, the former Evian and Rennes player has shown his qualities in Ligue 2 this season, even if Le Mans only finished 19th. The Sarthe club being relegated, the Ivorian dribbler (3 goals and 3 assists in the league) will logically go to look elsewhere this summer. Watched by some English clubs according to Ouest France, it could especially be the subject of a Lorient offensive in the coming days.

Benjamin Leroy (goalkeeper, 31, Ajaccio)

While several elite clubs, such as Montpellier, even Saint-Etienne, should look for a porter this summer, why not bet on the experienced Ajaccio goalkeeper, already seen in the elite with Evian (2014-2015) or Dijon (2016-2017)? If the Corsican club, third at the time of the stoppage of the season, missed the rise in L1 by little, Leroy had time to sign 16 clean sheets in 28 days. No coincidence, therefore, to see ACA second in the best defense rankings.


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