Monaco is top of the Ligue 1 table after nine match weeks, and midfielder Youssouf Fofana has been integral to that.
The 24-year-old, in his fourth full season at Monaco, has grown leaps and bounds since signing for the Ligue 1 club as a 21-year-old in 2020.
The visualisation below shows where Fofana ranks for some of the key metrics so far compared with the other players in his position from Europe’s top-tier leagues.
Fofana is quite flexible and versatile and has played as a no.8 or as a no.6 for Monaco.
His biggest strength is to win turnovers in the middle of the pitch.
This means he will be involved in many 1v1 duels in the centre of the pitch.
He also wins a lot of them, winning 69% of his defensive duels and ranking in the top 10% for this metric when compared with the other right-sided midfielders in Europe’s top-five leagues.
A player playing in his position is required to bear a lot of responsibility in possession, and Fofana does it with ease.
Ranking closer to the top 20% for Progressive passes per 90 minutes, the France international attempts 6.35 progressive passes per 90 minutes and is successful in that more often than his teammates.
Fofana is not someone who frequently finds the back of the net because he is not required.
He is not even required to make those late runs to the box to finish chances, which is why his offensive metrics don’t stand out.
Youssouf Fofana was linked with several Premier League clubs during the summer but eventually stayed in Monaco for another season.
He has been vital to their season so far – playing more minutes than any other outfielder for Monaco this season, and his performances have also stood out on the pitch.
If Monaco are to win their first league title since 2016-17, Fofana will need to continue in top form.
