PROFILE | Gaëtan Laborde – the eternally undervalued Ligue 1 journeyman | OneFootball

Ligue 1 journeyman Gaëtan Laborde has scored goals everywhere he has gone. From Red Star to Rennes, he has a clinical touch in front of goal. His move to OGC Nice in the summer of 2022 was not greeted with huge optimism by supporters, especially with prospect Amine Gouiri heading to Rennes in a player-plus-cash deal.

Nice fans believed they had drawn the short straw, and that Rennes were very much the benefactors of the deal. Events since have proven otherwise.

Since his move to the Allianz Riviera, he has scored 19 goals and registered five assists in 61 appearances in all competitions. That is a significant return for a player that rarely features through the middle, despite possessing many of the characteristics that you would attribute to a ‘typical’ No.9, although, in light of Terem Moffi’s recent underperformance, Laborde has been played through the middle on a more regular basis.

However, Laborde is not simply a producer of goals. His work off the ball is just as important as his work on it. His understanding of pressing and the ease with which he assimilates defensive instructions into his performances makes him an extremely valuable player in Francesco Farioli’s high-flying Nice side.

Laborde pessimism was unfounded

For a player so versatile and so useful in both phases of play, it is almost inexplicable why he has never garnered the interest of some of Europe’s elite. He is perhaps one of the many players over the age of 27 who aren’t truly valued due to their age. Other teams’ ignorance is Nice’s gain, however, and whilst the 27-year-old isn’t enjoying his most prolific season, he has still been crucial for Nice.

In his defence, Nice have been far from prolific, even despite their second-place standing in Ligue 1. Laborde has three of Nice’s 19 goals this season. Chance creation has been a weak point for Nice in the first half of the season and a facet of the game that Farioli’s side must work on if they are to retain their league position.

If they are to do so, the eternally undervalued Laborde will be a huge part of that success. Rarely has a move greeted with such ambivalence, even pessimism, been such a success. Given Laborde’s track record, he arguably should never have been doubted.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle