Guest report by Martin Haddow.
Djylian N’Guessan is a 16-year-old French/Algerian striker who currently plays for St Etienne and was part of the French U17 side that recently lost to Portugal in the final of the UEFA U17 European Championship in Albania. He scored four goals for his country and had a total of eight shots on target during the tournament.
At 5’11”, N’Guessan may still have some physical development to come, but he already shows good strength in 1v1 duels, both on the ground and in the air. Although he lost more aerial duels, this was largely due to facing stronger opponents, such as Germany and Portugal. N’Guessan has a good spring when attacking headers, and he doesn’t shy away from physical contact. He will sometimes drop deep, pulling defenders out of position, which creates space for teammates. He links play well with intelligent first-time passes into feet. The player is quick and explosive. He is happy to drop in, link up, then sprint into the penalty area, often arriving around the 12-yard line to wait for cutbacks. These short bursts of pace are a common feature of his game. He is very athletic and instinctive. N’Guessan also shows good upper-body strength to hold off defenders or opponents tracking his runs. However, one concern is his stamina. In high-intensity matches, he can become tired and sluggish as the game progresses. With consistent strength and conditioning as he reaches 17 and beyond, I expect his stamina will improve over the next five years.
In possession, N’Guessan operated mostly centrally (as a false 9), but he would also drift wide to the left and cut in to shoot with his favored right foot. He has a great first touch and is comfortable playing first-time passes to teammates making advanced runs. He displays excellent close control and composure when dribbling in tight spaces and is confident in the channels, often taking on full-backs or central defenders. His shooting tends to be very accurate, and he usually looks to place his shots. He is comfortable both facing play and with his back to goal. His ability to bring the ball down with his chest and then find a teammate with a short pass is excellent. His short passing is precise and intentional. The way he positions his body and maintains balance in possession is impressive. N’Guessan demonstrates good technique in congested areas to find teammates and consistently shows the ability to play on the shoulder or drop into deeper pockets. In the box, he is sharp and composed but sometimes tries to do too much when a simple shot would suffice.
Out of possession (as seen against Germany), France alternated between a 4-5-1 mid-block and a 4-4-2, with N’Guessan the most advanced player in both formations. As a lone striker or false 9, he presses aggressively, forcing mistakes and helping reclaim possession high up the pitch. He shows good intelligence and positional awareness. However, as matches progress, he tends to tire and becomes less willing to press or close down passing lanes. As a striker in a front two, he sometimes seems unsure whether he or his partner should press or hold position, which leads to frustration. He tends to lose focus when fatigued.
N’Guessan has a very bright future ahead of him. He is already showing excellent potential and is a tremendous young athlete. Certain aspects of his game—particularly stamina over 90 minutes and concentration levels—need improvement. Another season with St Etienne in Ligue 2 would be ideal for his development, although a return to Ligue 1 wouldn’t be surprising. A move to a Bundesliga club (e.g., Mainz or Werder Bremen) could offer an even better platform for his growth.
Target Scouting 