Throwing upwards of £30m at AS Saint-Etienne in order to take Wesley Fofana from them, Leicester City were adamant they were buying a potential star.
While a few expected Brendan Rodgers to take his time with the 20-year-old, he’s done anything but, throwing the youngster at the deep to see what he was made of.
That could have backfired, but it didn’t, and everyone who watches the Premier League are as impressed as Leicester’s scouts probably were when they tracked him in France.
This newfound stardom, if you want to call it that, has caught the eye of many, including former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf, who spoke to Actufoot about Fofana when asked if there was a French defender he liked these days.
He said: “He works hard, he’s a real defender and if the club is where it is, it’s partly thanks to him. He’s 20 and knows how to defend. Honestly, I discovered him this year because I didn’t do a lot of Ligue 1 through my ESPN work. The kid got insulted when he left Saint-Etienne.
“Everyone said he was another kid who went to get money too soon. But he’s extraordinary! He’s as quick as Mbappé (in his progression), he’s already a great player. Well, let’s not say that to him because it could turn his head, but you can see it. If I’m Didier Deschamps, I’m thinking about him”.
With so many talents in defence, ranging from Lucas Hernández to Presnel Kimpembe with Kurt Zouma and Raphaël Varane in the mix, it will be tough for Fofana to make his way into the France squad, but at the rate he’s going, you wouldn’t put it past him.
Leboeuf added: “If Fofana can reach the maturity level of Kimpembe, we have two extraterrestrials, two monsters in defence”.
