One To Watch
O, Canada! Ligue 1's new North American flavor
Despite being firmly ensconced as one of the division's top forwards, David has (mostly) flown the proverbial flag, with England-born Iké Ugbo the only exception. This offseason has seen several new faces, each of them key to Canada's impressive play of late, join the division, and off the back of the international break (and with three of them in action in the same match) we take a closer look at this quartet of new arrivals.
Derek Cornelius, Olympique de Marseille
A part of his country's national team for six years, the burly Cornelius has taken an itinerant route to one of Europe's top 5 leagues, with spells in the lower divisions in Germany, time in Greece and his native country in Major League Soccer and even Serbia. He finally made his name for Swedish side Malmo in 2023, helping the team to a league and cup double and a place in the UEFA Champions League. Since arriving from Scandinavia, he's played 90 minutes in each of his side's two wins.
Ismaël Koné, Olympique de Marseille
Koné, born in the Ivory Coast, may be a more familiar name to followers of European football. After moving to the Francophone city of Montréal as a youngster, he eventually joined that city's CF Montréal, playing -- like Cornelius -- in Major League Soccer for parts of two seasons. A big-money move to English side Watford soon followed, and while Koné couldn't help the Hornets win promotion, his strong displays for club and country caught the eye of l'OM. While he's yet to make an appearance for his new club, big things are expected of the rangy midfielder.
Moïse Bombito, OGC Nice
Another powerful center back, Bombito got his start playing football at university in the United States. Despite his college career being disjointed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he caught the eye of Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids. Despite the Denver-based side's struggles, Bombito was impressive indeed, and was even named a league all-star earlier this summer. After joining Franck Haise's OGC Nice this summer, he has featured twice for his new club.
Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre
Like Cornelius, the Ottawa-born Bair played with the Vancouver Whitecaps before joining Norwegian side HamKam on loan in 2021. After impressing there, he made a move to Scottish side St. Johnstone, but things seemed to go sideways for the big striker as he scored just once in more than 30 appearances. After leaving Perth on a free to join Motherwell, he was a hit at Fir Park, scoring 15 goals and earning a move to Auxerre. Despite being yet to find the back of the net for his new club, Bair's aerial presence makes him a real threat for the promoted team.
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