All you need to know about Arsenal target Youssouf Fofana | OneFootball

Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana has been linked with a move to Arsenal to join Mikel Arteta’s project and we have gathered all you need to know about him.

The French international has been a player of interest for plenty of clubs around Europe and according to French outlet L’Equipe, the Gunners are now interested.

We’ve gone through his career so far and picked out all of the key details you need to know about Fofana.

Who is he?

Born in Paris, Fofana bounced around various French youth academies as a youngster before finally making a breakthrough with Strasbourg. He made his professional debut in 2018 and played 41 games for Strasbourg before being poached by Monaco.

Clearly liking what they had seen, Monaco spent €15million on the midfielder in 2020 and he soon became a fan favourite. Having racked up well over 100 appearances for the French club, Fofana is a regular in the starting 11.

Didier Deschamps recognised his talent in 2022 and handed him his international debut for France. The 24-year-old has since played 10 games for his country and he featured in six of France’s seven matches at the 2022 World Cup.

Where he plays

Fofana often plays as a holding midfielder, although he can also operate on the right-hand side. Monaco often lined up in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation, with Fofana at the base of midfield alongside Mohamed Camara.

The 24-year-old is an all-action-midfielder who is capable of doing it all. His defensive instincts are strong as he wins an average of 2.3 tackles and makes 1.6 interceptions per game.

Along with his ability off the ball, he is also handy with the ball at his feet. He averages 1.3 dribbles and takes 1.2 shots per game with Monaco.

He can drop a shoulder to go past a man and is also more than willing to get stuck in. Those two attributes in particular make him a great player to watch.

What he’s said

Back in April, Fofana was asked about his future and whether or not qualifying for the Champions League would play into his decision. In the end,  Monaco finished sixth in Ligue 1 and missed out on European football.

“I don’t think my season is linked to the club’s objectives (reaching the Champions League). It’s a bit of a well-worn phrase but I am under contract until 2025 and I count on respecting it until 2025,” Fofana told Nice-Matin.

“Why not stay at Monaco? In 2017, ASM were the biggest team in the league. Why can’t that be the case next season? And why not with me?

“Everyone is saying that it’s time to leave or say that I’m going to leave, but there are players in their prime playing at Lyon and Marseille. I’m not ruling anything out. Honestly, I’m the last person to think about my future.”

What they’ve said

“I see his potential, which he is proving more and more. For me, he has the potential to be in the French national team in the future,” former Monaco manager Philippe Clement told Get French Football News last year.

“That would be interesting, Aurélien Tchouameni and Youssouf together, but there is a lot of competition in this position. He now needs to stay focused and do good things on the pitch.

“I was very clear with him during some video sessions together and he has learnt good things. He is still a young player, but he is someone who has a lot of desire to improve.”