Monaco have done it again: Eliesse Ben Seghir is something very special
Monaco currently have one of the best young cores in Europe. Their squad is absolutely littered with players who are touted to blossom into something very special in the near future. Kassoum Ouattara, Christian Mawissa, Lamine Camara, Mika Biereth, Maghnes Akliouche and George Ilenikhena are all some of the most exciting talents in France and I believe that if Monaco keep ahold of these players whilst strengthening a few issues in defence and midfield, they have every chance to repeat the unforgettable 2016/17 Champions League run which saw them reach the Quarter-Finals of the competition and featured some of this generations best footballers such as Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho.
This current Monaco squad has the talent to match that but rest assured, they will have to keep hold of my favourite player out of this current crop, Eliesse Ben Seghir, in order to have a chance of repeating their European success story.
Monaco know how to produce forwards and I’m willing to put my neck on the line to say that this boy will be very special in a few years time. The Moroccan international has also represented France at youth levels and at 20 years old, he plays with a matureness and intelligence miles ahead of his years. It’s difficult to pigeonhole him into one exact position on the pitch as he has popped up for both Morocco and Monaco on the left wing, right wing and as an attacking midfielder - such is the talent he holds that he can basically play anywhere behind the striker to a very good level.
It’s very rare you find 20 year olds who are elite at dribbling, passing and striking a ball but Ben Seghir is one of those rare few. The right-footed starlet has an almost Lamine Yamal-esque gait to him where he can dance around tackles with ease, maintaining balance where most other players would fall but he always knows when to release the ball and provide the perfect weight of pass to his teammates. He ranks in the top 10% of wingers/attackers for passes into the final third, in the top 6% for through balls and the top 2 best for carries into the final third. He can unlock a defence with a pass or by skating past 3 defenders with minimal effort.
I believe that Ben Seghir is probably at his best when playing centrally, behind the striker or playing just inside of the left wing where he can rifle ridiculous curling shorts from the edge of the box with his right foot. If I were to explain him through a player comparison, I’d say a Manchester City Leroy Sane but perhaps without the dynamite pace of the German or maybe, like I said before, a right-footed Lamine Yamal.
My only worry is that when he inevitably moves to an elite European club challenging for trophies, he ends up being shifted out to the left touchline where he’s made to play like an orthodox winger. Because he isn’t a winger and I think his future does lie in the number 10 position. But who am I to say? This is the main complication of being a ‘positionless’ player as your versatility can potentially do you more harm than good.
If he is used correctly, he will become a star. He can do everything an attacker needs to be able to do and more. Once he begins to add a few more goals to his game, which will come with age, I am going to massively envy whichever club is able to sign him.
If you don’t know yet, you will know soon enough because Eliesse Ben Seghir is as legit as it gets.
