Who are Ligue 1’s next generation of breakout stars? | OneFootball

Whilst big-name talents such as Kylian Mbappé, Leny Yoro, and Khéphren Thuram, all of whom came through the ranks at Ligue 1 clubs, have departed L’Héxagone this summer, French academies have a knack for renewal. Here are five players who could be the next to break through and make a name for themselves in the upcoming campaign.

Senny Mayulu

Whilst Bradley Barcola may be the major benefactor from Kylian Mbappé’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain, Senny Mayulu could also profit. The France youth international took his limited opportunities last season, netting his first goal in professional football and impressing Luis Enrique. He was subsequently rewarded with his first professional contract and succeeded Warren Zaïre-Emery in being crowned Titi d’Or, an award handed to Les Parisiens’ finest academy product of the year. He will now be looking to kick on.

Mayulu’s versatility should allow him to get chances this season. Luis Enrique praised the France youth international for his ability to play both inside and outside. Given PSG’s continued recruitment in midfield and Luis Enrique’s preference to line up without a more attacking No.10, opportunities may continue to be limited in midfield, however, his strong technical ability on the ball offers the manager another alternative out wide.

The two-footed, technically-gifted Frenchman already has the intelligence and awareness to find spaces and is increasingly happy to drop deeper to influence proceedings. Adding physicality to his game is one of the major objectives for Mayulu to reach the next level and become the next Titi to establish himself at PSG.

Luke Entwistle

Enzo Sternal

Enzo Sternal could well be the best player to emerge out of Marseille’s highly promising U17 crop that helped the club win their first Coupe Gambardella since 1979. However, it looked as if the club were close to losing the France youth international in May. Sternal and the club had looked at odds over a contract extension, but a week before the new campaign began, the teenager would sign on the dotted line and be provided the number 22 shirt.

There is hope that with Roberto De Zerbi now at the helm, Les Phocéens will have a more functioning pathway from their academy system to their first team, with Sternal appearing the likeliest to be given the time to shine at the Vélodrome this season. Sternal has been provided ample game time in Marseille’s preseason where he has been used as a number nine.

His drifting movements are graceful and delicate, but there is a tenaciousness to the way he can keep hold of the ball. However, at 5ft7 and with a slight build, there will be some caution over how well he will be able to cope when coming up against the physicality of a Ligue 1 defence.

Nick Hartland

Mamadou Sarr

Jake O’Brien’s departure to Everton has created a space in the defence at Lyon. Whilst summer signing Moussa Niakhaté will be the favourite to fill the Irishman’s void, Mamadou Sarr could contend for the position.  The 18-year-old has attracted interest this summer but OL were defiant about him staying put. A €10m bid was rejected by Reims with his boyhood club reassuring him he will play a part this term.

Sarr was undroppable when he first arrived at sister club Molenbeek on loan and instantly showed why with some impressive defensive performances. The Frenchman has great positional awareness for his age. As a result, he’s very active defensively and unafraid of breaking out of the line to regain possession. The defender also offers a frightening presence in the air. At 196cm, Sarr could be a real threat in both boxes aerially.

The France U19 international has been highly rated across his academy age groups and fast-tracked to the first team. Sarr also played a major part in OL’s Coupe Gambardella victory in 2022. With his first season of professional football under his belt and a promise of chances at his boyhood club, Sarr is one to watch this season.

Liam Wraith

Victor Orakpo

There is no doubt that Terem Moffi’s ACL injury is bad news for OGC Nice. The Nigeria international is expected to miss the majority of the campaign, however, it could offer one of his compatriots, 18-year-old Victor Orakpo, the chance to shine.

The striker joined the club in January, integrating Le Gym’s Groupe Élite. He has had the aura of a man on a mission since the move, netting consistently with Nice’s reserve side, including netting a brace against local rivals AS Monaco and a hat-trick against Brighton and Hove Albion. A physical forward, Orakpo is adept at finding spaces, be it working a yard in a crowded box or running off the shoulder of the last man.

His efficiency in front of goal had already caught the eye, to the extent that there was optimism that Orakpo would get chances with Nice this season, due to the club competing on multiple fronts. Those chances have now significantly increased in the wake of Moffi’s injury and with questions surrounding the future of Evann Guessand. Orakpo has already turned heads in his opening six months at Le Gym and he could now be set for a break-out campaign.

Luke Entwistle

Nathan Zézé

Nantes’ youth academy has returned to where it belongs – at the top of French football. The eight-time champions have won back-to-back National U19 series – the equivalent of the Premier League 2 – in 2022 and 2023. Last season, the young Canaris only bowed out to eventual UEFA Youth League winners Olympiacos in the semi-final stage.

The stand-out prospect of this remarkable generation is Nathan Zézé, who entered the club’s academy at only nine. The Nantes-born defender broke through the ranks of the different youth teams, most of them as a skipper, to earn his first senior cap with Antoine Kombouaré’s Nantes for a Coupe de France tie at 17. Andrei Girotto’s transfer to Saudi Arabia and Nicolas Pallois’ decline offered him more playing time to display his skillset.

Zézé is excellent with the ball at his feet and, at 6’ 3”, wins most of the aerial duels. But what separates Zézé from other teenage left-footed ball-playing centre-backs is his leadership and his maturity. Former Nantes coach Pierre Aristouy believed he was made to perform at the highest level and his successor was impressed by the youngster’s intelligence. “As soon as we give him instructions, advice or feedback, he applies it straight away. It’s rare,” Jocelyn Gourvennec noted. Nantes recently extended Zézé’s contract until 2028, but Premier League clubs and Serie A champions Inter Milan are circling.

Bastien Cheval

GFFN | Luke Entwistle