'Classy and relentless' Newcastle-linked midfielder dominates PSG; he's the new Patrick Vieira

By Shamanth Jayaram

Foot Mercato revealed not too long ago that Newcastle United are battling a few other clubs in the race to sign RC Lens midfielder Seko Fofana.

The Magpies picked up their first win of the campaign over the weekend and things look a lot better now than they did last week. Eddie Howe is working his magic, but Newcastle still need a lot of help to avoid relegation at the end of this season.

One player who could make a real difference for the Toon is Fofana. The 26-year-old Ivorian, who was once a part of Manchester City’s youth setup, has become a star in France. He is arguably Lens’ best player, and his performance against PSG last weekend shows why.

Here’s a look at his stats…

Newcastle-linked Seko Fofana shines against PSG

Reported Newcastle United target Fofana started in midfield for Lens against PSG on Saturday and he was outstanding. He scored a goal thanks to a little help from Keylor Navas, but the Costa Rican’s mistake should take nothing away from the midfielder’s dominant display.

In his 90 minutes on the pitch, Fofana had 70 touches of the ball and completed 52 of his 58 attempted passes, maintaining a stunning 90 per cent passing accuracy. He also registered four key passes, completed two of his three attempted dribbles and three of his four long balls in what was truly a stunning display. (SofaScore)

GFFN gave Fofana a 9/10 rating for his performance against the French giants. They wrote: “Classy and relentless throughout while repeating his magic trick of playing enforcer, dynamo and number ten all at once. Although he was helped by some flapping from Navas, it was his thunderbolt that should have won the game for Lens too.”

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The new Patrick Vieira?

Fofana was a really exciting prospect at Manchester City when he was a teenager. Many who followed him then, expected him to break through into the first-team, with some even comparing him to Arsenal and Premier League legend, Patrick Vieira. (Manchester Evening News)

The Ivorian hasn’t quite had the success that Vieira did in his prime, but it’s not too late. Still only 26, Fofana could fulfil the massive potential he once had at City. He just needs a big break, and a move to Tyneside to join a hugely ambitious Newcastle United side could change his fortunes.

The Magpies need someone who can dominate games from the middle of the park. The players Howe has at his disposal are good, but they just need an all-rounder to really hurt teams. Fofana, dubbed as the new Vieira, could be exactly the guy Newcastle need to boost their survival hopes, but it won’t be easy to sign him.