Training for the first time with the club’s first-team, Guingamp’s Mehdi Boudjemaa is keen to turn what was a privilege into a regular event.
Moved from midfield to centre-back by the club’s new reserves manager, the 19-year-old is seen as one of the better young talents at the Ligue 1 club, yet his career could have already been very different.
Speaking to Goal France, the defender revealed he turned down the opportunity to have a trial at QPR when the Hoops invited him to Loftus Road last January.
He said: “It’s true that QPR asked me for a trial. I asked myself a few questions, I spoke to my mum, the board and my agent, and I told myself it was better to not doing anything crazy just because one club shows interest.
“It was nothing concrete, just a trial. Therefore, I decided to stay to work hard in hope of signing my first professional deal with my club, the one that gave me a chance. Today, I’m happy about my decision because everything is going well”.
Nicknamed “Guingamp’s David Luiz” due to their similar haircuts, Boudjemaa is simply keen on developing as a player and one day be called up by the Algerian national team, even if it is with the U20s.
It’s hard to say if that goal would be easier had he decided to move to Loftus Road instead of staying with his current side, but the youngster appears to be well surrounded, and understands the importance of not burning any steps along the way.
At least he knows teams like QPR are keeping an eye on him, and, who knows, maybe they’ll come back for him in the near future.
