This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. The newspaper L'Équipe has once again identified some of the biggest prospects in Ligue 2. As has been the case for six years now, the French daily has compiled a team of young talents from the second division, with clear criteria: players aged 21 or younger and with fewer than ten games at this level. The selection results from a combination of analysis from French and foreign scouts, sporting directors, coaches, and, for the first time, also from recruitment software used by elite clubs. In recent years, this exercise has proven particularly accurate. Names like Gessime Yassine, Clément Akpa, Robin Risser, Arsène Kouassi, Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, and Christ Oulahi were identified in previous editions and are now players with strong market value. This time, however, one name stands out clearly: Mathys Detourbet, an 18-year-old winger from Troyes. If there is one name that stands out in this annual survey of Ligue 2 prospects, it is Mathys Detourbet. At just 18 years old, the Troyes winger is described by L'Équipe as "the real gem of this article," a player who already shows clear signs of being able to reach the highest European level. Detourbet stands out, first and foremost, for his quality in receiving the ball. He is one of those players who rarely needs more than two touches to set the play in the right direction. This technical ease allows him to play between the lines, accelerate offensive circulation, and create advantages even in tight spaces—a characteristic increasingly valued in modern football. As a creatively inclined winger, he also has the ability to improvise in the final third, something that sets him apart from many players his age. He is not just a corridor dribbler: he seeks out interior zones, connects well with teammates, and has the awareness to decide when to accelerate or slow down the attack. This technical ability explains why the City Football Group, owner of Troyes (and the giant Manchester City), does not intend to part with the player in the upcoming market. The organization sees him as a talent to be developed with care and patience. The big question, according to the French newspaper, is not whether Detourbet will leave, but how his growth will be managed. One possibility is to integrate him into a network of clubs within the group or find a competitive context where he can evolve in a possession-based and circulation-oriented playing model—something that favors his characteristics. Because, at the end of the day, Detourbet seems to be a player of context: he needs teams that want to have the ball, create technical superiority, and allow him to explore his creativity. In such a scenario, several observers believe the young winger could quickly become one of the next talents exported by French football. In goal, the standout is Mathys Niflore, a 19-year-old goalkeeper from Dunkerque, on loan from Toulouse. After an irregular start to the season, he has established himself thanks to his excellent footwork and impressive physical presence for the position (1.95 m). Also worth noting are Ewen Jaouen from Reims, very strong on the goal line, and Noah Raveyre, a young goalkeeper from Pau FC, who continues to develop consistently. Among the center-backs, the most promising name is Siaka Bakayoko, captain of Amiens at just 20 years old. Physically powerful and with great room for improvement, he has already attracted interest from Serie A clubs, Major League Soccer, and Belgium. Another profile appreciated by recruiters is Isaac Cossier, a left-footed center-back aged 19 on loan from Lille to Le Mans, while Victor Mayela from Dunkerque emerges as a possible surprise. In the flanks, the density of promising young players is particularly high. On the left, Joseph Kalulu from Pau FC stands out, with impressive athletic data and enormous one-on-one ability. Also emerging are Anis Ouzenadji, an attacking full-back from Troyes with above-average crossing quality, Zakaria Ariss from Bastia, and El-Hadj Koné from Clermont Foot, a midfielder successfully converted to the position. On the right, the highlight is Kévin Pedro from Saint-Étienne, originally a center-back but now a dominant full-back in duels and technically advanced. Yvann Titi and Enzo Tacafred complete the list of young full-backs being monitored. Dunkerque, the former team of Portuguese coach Luís Castro, also appears as one of the most interesting breeding grounds in the league. Pape Diong, a 1.95 m midfielder on loan from Strasbourg, started playing football only at 14 years old, but the combination of physicality, technique, and ball-carrying ability leads many to believe he could reach the Premier League. Alongside him, Antoine Sekongo stands out as an attacking midfielder with eight goals in the league. Among other names to watch are Jordan Mendes, a sentinel from Rodez AF, Martial Tia from Reims, compared to compatriot Kamory Doumbia from Brest, and Abdellah Baallal, Théo Chennahi, and Nolan Binet, players valued for their enormous work rate. Besides Detourbet, other wingers deserve attention, such as Giovani Versini from Pau, often compared to Mathieu Valbuena for his stature and creativity, and Ilhan Fakili from Clermont, a technically refined winger. In attack, the generation is still searching for a clearly dominant number 9. Omar Sissoko from Pau (on loan from Paris FC) is seen as a modern forward, capable of exploiting depth and playing in various positions. However, the greatest potentials may still be further down the age scale. Aly Traoré from Amiens, just 17 years old, is considered by the French federation to be an extremely complete forward and is already attracting interest from German clubs. In Troyes, Christ Batola, only 16 years old, is also beginning to draw attention for his physique (1.87 m) and effectiveness in set pieces. If recent history serves as a guide, many of these names should soon appear in the top European leagues. And among this new generation identified by L'Équipe, few seem as prepared to make the leap as Mathys Detourbet.
Gessime Yassine Robin Risser remains central to this story.
Gessime Yassine Robin Risser remains central to this story.
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