Used much more often by LOSC boss Jocelyn Gourvennec in 2022, the young Amadou Onana (20) has shown great promise in Les Dogues' midfield in the second half of the season.
Young but already performing well and making clear progress for the last few weeks, midfielder Amadou Onana is carving out a place in the LOSC midfield as the northerners look battle it out for a European finish with ten Ligue 1 Uber Eats rounds left to play.
Little used during the first part of the season, the Belgian is has been racking up the playing time in 2022 and is making a strong impression. Bought from German Bundesliga 2 side Hamburg, where he played 25 games and made his professional debut, he has lifted his game to the level of the French championship.
While five of his seven appearances in the Champions League were as a substitute in the last half-hour, his performances on the European stage were consistent and full of impact. In addition, he was a starter in the first leg of the round of 16 at Chelsea (2-0).
'A lot of potential'
Very tall for his position (1.95m), Onana has above-average athletic qualities, which allow him to win challenges without resorting to foul play. Above all, he is good on the ball and constantly seeks to break lines with his passing and is quick to get forward as soon as a space opens up in front of him.
"He is on his way, and making progress just how we imagined he would. There is competition for his position with players who are a little more experienced, but he has a lot of potential and quality," explained Jocelyn Gourvennec. "He has a lot of enthusiasm, desire and personality and we must channel all that. But he has been helping the team well since the beginning of the season and continues to do so."
A Belgium U21 international who has been closely followed his country's senior coach Roberto Martinez, Onana wants to impose himself now. Although he is only 20 years old, he wants to shake up the Renato Sanches-Benjamin Andre duo - LOSC's backbone.
Ambitious perfectionist
"I can be satisfied with the first half of the league season, but I am an ambitious person and the objective of this second half of the season will be to do everything I can to earn more playing time," he told the press before scoring twice at Lens in the Coupe de France in early January. "I am asked to take more responsibility and we have seen in recent weeks that I am doing more. It's working for me and I hope to continue in this way."
Far from the carefree attitude of some of the players of his age, the midfielder looks set for success. Multilingual (he speaks French, English, German, Dutch and Wolof), affable but capable of shutting down trick questions, relaxed but hard-working, he has become the number 3 in the hierarchy of central midfielders. Not yet imposing enough to replace Boubakary Soumaré, an important element in LOSC's title win, but enough to disrupt opponents who are still getting to know him - and further impress the Ligue 1 Uber Eats who have been privy to his potential.
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