3 Ligue 1 players Premier League sides should consider | OneFootball

For a while now, signing players from France’s top flight has been what smart clubs do. It’s a league filled with technically gifted players who still have the physicality to be able to excel in the Premier League; the likes of William Saliba, Jeremy Doku, and Bernardo Silva have been huge successes.

Paris, in particular, is arguably the best city on the planet for creating footballers, even if PSG haven’t taken full advantage of it. Man City have already signed one of the league’s best young talents in Rayan Cherki, but there is plenty more where he came from.

Here are three players, currently plying their trade in France, that we believe would be smart buys for several Premier League sides.

Jonathan David

Considering his goal-scoring record and the lack of a transfer fee, it’s remarkable that David, 25, hasn’t been snapped up by someone. There have been consistent links with Napoli, but now that Antonio Conte is staying, they’ve gone cold, with the former Chelsea boss not too keen on a deal, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Almost every side in the Premier League, other than Man City, is looking for a striker. With 25 goals and 12 assists in his 45 games across all competitions last season, David is one of the best options available. Lille, where he currently plays, also have a proven track record of producing top talents.

There have been plenty of links, even though there hasn’t been anything concrete. Manchester United, who are shackled by PSR, would be wise to make a move for David, rather than the likes of Viktor Gyokeres. It would be a low fee and low pressure.

Malick Fofana

Lyon’s financial troubles are well documented, although they no longer face the threat of relegation that many had expected. Cherki is gone, and he will be a huge loss, although that £30 million fee will ease the pain somewhat.

Fofana, 20, wasn’t quite as prolific as Cherki last season, but he was still a key player as his side managed to turn their season around and secure Europa League qualification. A rapid winger with 11 goals and five assists, he has plenty of potential.

Playing on the left, he’s exactly the type of player Chelsea are looking to sign. He has a similar profile and outlay to Jamie Gittens, although he would likely be cheaper. The West London Club will likely go back in for Gittens despite being able to agree a fee with Dortmund in the mini transfer window ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Should the German side continue to play hard ball, Fofana would be a likely alternative.

Evann Guessand

Guessand had a real breakout season with Nice in 2024-25. The attacking midfielder was arguably the club’s best player of the season, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists in his 42 games across all competitions.

Standing just over six feet tall, he’s exactly the type of Ligue 1 Player we mentioned in the intro, strong and physical but still technical with an impressive reading of the game, he’s unlikely to be at Nice for much longer.

According to Sky Sports, Wolves are already pursuing a deal, while Crystal Palace, another possible destination, are looking to add another number ten to help alleviate some of the pressure on Eberechi Eze as they prepare for a season with Europa League football. Honestly, either one of these clubs would be a great fit for Guessand.

Get Football | Alex Roberts