Road to Ligue 1: Sebastian Nanasi (Strasbourg)
One To Watch
Liam Rosenior's revolution at Racing Club de Strasbourg has certainly seen entertainment and goals flow in abundance at the start of the 2024-2025 campaign. The English manager is seemingly getting the best out of his attacking young talents at the moment, including the likes of Andrey Santos, Diego Moreira, and Emannuel Emegha. Yet summer signing Sebastian Nanasi has been one of the standout players in Rosenior's new-look attack, having scored three goals in his first four matches for Les Alsaciens from midfield.
The 22-year old joined the club from Malmö in the summer months, and put pen to paper on a five-year-deal after attracting interest from a handful of European clubs. It wasn't a surprise, considering his form in Sweden with nine goals and ten assists in 21 games in all competitions for Malmö.
Nanasi began his playing career at local side Kristianstad FC, making his senior debut at the age of just 15, before joining Malmö's under 19 squad shortly after. The Swedish club which can boast Ligue 1 legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic among their successful academy graduates, would be Nanasi's home for six years (bar loan spells at Varbergs BoIS and Kalmar FF).
After making his Champions League debut against Juventus in September 2021, he would be shipped out on loan to Kalmar, where he finished the season with five goals and six assists, helping the side reach 4th in the Allsvenskan. On his return to Malmö, his form would remain prolific for a midfielder under Jon Dahl Tomasson's unique style of play.
"On the pitch, he's a killer, a winner, a leader."
"I love Sebastian and I'm really pleased that he's here. He's got great technical ability and a great vision of the game," enthuses his coach, Liam Rosenior following the Swede's first few matches for Strasbourg. "He learns very quickly and has absorbed a lot of information in a short space of time."
Nanasi came on for ten minutes against Rennes (3-1) and scored at Lyon (3-4) and against Angers (1-1), before getting on the scoresheet once more against Lille (3-3) last Sunday.
"It wasn't an ideal start because my goals didn't help the team win," Nanasi told L'Équipe in the mixed zone after the draw with SCO. "He's quite a sore loser," laughs Mahamé Siby, a former Strasbourg player (2020-2022) who played with him at Malmö (2022 - January 2024). "On the pitch, he's a killer, a winner, a leader. Off it, he's introverted, but he was very well liked in the dressing room, very respectful. He's an exceptional player. I have no doubt he'll have a great season."
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