Future stars - M'Baye Niang

A striking prodigy at just 16 years of age, SM Caen's M'Baye Niang has the world at his feet.  Already valued at €8 minimum and attracting the interest of many a Premier League team, see Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham, in addition to many other big names all over Europe.  However he is the latest in a long line to be hailed as the next great saviour of French football, so will he fall to the way side like so many others in this position or continue to progress and become one of the most feared strikers on the planet?


After initially being signed up as a 13-year-old following a tip off, Niang excelled in the academy and was eventually awarded a senior contract earlier this year.  It was also rumoured that some of France's big guns were interested, but Caen beat off competition to sign the youngster.

Niang exploded on to the scene last season, becoming the youngest man to represent Caen in a senior match and also the second youngest to score in Ligue 1.  This was as he went on his way to scoring three goals in just seven appearances, four starts and three from the bench, making the world sit up and take note.  He has also represented France at under-16, under-17 and under-21, with the national progression of senior squad surely not too far away.

It is not too hard to see why so many teams are already beginning tentative steps to lure Niang away, with a strong physical presence but plenty of athletic ability with it, is there a league around in which he couldn't develop into a major force.  However all this talk of the future is far too premature, and this best thing at the moment would be for him to stay and progress.  A move at an early stage could be detrimental to his progression, and the best thing is for him to continue to get first team football where he is.