It’s not often we get to January and you find a French internationalist reach the last six months of their contract.

But unfortunately for Stade Rennais FC that’s exactly the predicament they find themselves in with their exciting left winger Paul-Georges Ntep reaching the end of his current deal.

Premier league clubs should have scouts in Brittany and earmarking a deal to bring in the forward on the cheap.

Whether that’s by tying him down to a Bosman deal or by offering Rennes cash up front to bring him in this month that remains to be seen.

Clubs like Everton, Southampton, Watford and Leicester City could be doing with an new injection of creativity in their sides.

In his last ten Ligue 1 games, Ntep has scored twice and created four assists. Thought this campaign he’s bagged all his goals and assists from the left-handside, although he can also play through the middle.

After picking up his first cap for Les Bleus in the summer of 2015, the 2015-16 campaign was meant to be his year but alas injuries would rear their ugly head. He also missed the start of this season due to an injury but he’s proven in recent months that he’s getting firmly back on track.

Ntep has the desire and the pace to attack opposing full-backs and leave them for dead. Some wide-men get confused by one-on-one situations and they panic but the twenty-four year old Ntep seems to thrive on those situations.

When he cuts onto his preferred right foot then you know he is probably looking to finish a move off but he can equally keep it on his left, head to the byline and set up chances for teammates.

When he broke through at Auxerre in 2012, Paul-Georges was linked with a big move, with Arsenal supposedly registering an interest. But the youngster decided not to jump at the first offer from a major club and calculated that a move to a side like Rennes, who would offer him first team football, was the better option.

Moussa Dembele did the same thing this summer when he joined Celtic in the summer. It shows that these young men have their heads screwed on and want to develop as footballers and believe that they have the ability to succeed on their own terms.

With that in mind he might favour seeing out his contract with Les Rouges et Noirs. He might even sign a new deal, allowing Stade Rennais to pick up a transfer fee in the summer.

Premier League sides should be on the phone to Paul-Georges Ntep’s representatives and trying to woo him now, even if the deal can’t be concluded until the summer.

Olympique Marseille, now owned by Frank McCourt and managed by Rudi Garcia, are hoping to make waves this transfer window by signing some serious talent and Ntep ticks a lot of their boxes. Whilst various Bundesliga sides, including Wolfsburg, are also thought to be interested.

It will be an interesting and intense month ahead for the French winger but he certainly could be Premier League bound.

Posted on January 3rd, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article