Scout Report: Why Wylan? Puel planning Nice raid for Cyprien

With the January transfer window fast approaching, it’s fair to say a number of clubs are preparing to field offers for their prized assets and given their remarkable start to the season - sitting top at Christmas regardless of results this week - Nice are certainly no exception.

While star name Mario Balotelli has stolen the headlines from afar, with more Ligue 1 goals (8) than starts (7) this season, in France their is understandable hype building around a whole host of the Eaglets squad. Versatile wing-back Ricardo Pereira has earned the highest WhoScored.com rating in Ligue 1, Jean Seri tops the assist charts (8) and Dante’s reunion with former Gladbach boss Lucien Favre has also been a real success.

It is, however, 21-year old midfielder Wylan Cyprien that is perhaps gaining the most recognition in his homeland following a summer switch from Ligue 2 outfit Lens. The France youth international has made an immediate impression in the top-flight and unsurprisingly drawn admirers both at home and abroad.

Indeed, at this stage of the season the youngster has earned the highest average match ratings in Ligue 1 according to French sports daily L’Equipe. It’s little shock then that his time with the Corsican high-flyers is tipped to be brief.

Premier League interest has already surfaced from Southampton, who are of course managed by former Nice boss Claude Puel. He hasn’t worked with Cyprien but has clearly been keeping a keen eye on the exploits of his old club and understandably been impressed by what he has seen from the summer signing.

Deployed primarily from a central position in the Nice midfield, adapting to play in front of a back three or back four for the Ligue 1 leaders, Cyprien has shown impressive maturity to play such a pivotal role for the side. He is the man in a midfield three tasked with the real box to box role and despite playing from a relatively deep starting position, his best attributes are generally on the attack.

That said, Cyprien’s job first and foremost is to distribute from deep and try and find the forwards or wingers with an incisive pass. His vision is certainly a strength in that regard, with an eye for an intelligent ball between opposition defenders having seen him attempt the sixth most forward passes of all midfielders in the French top-flight (301). The fact, then, that he isn’t afraid to attempt a decisive pass makes his overall accuracy all the more impressive.

From a lofty average of 65.4 passes per game the youngster has found a teammate with 89.8%, which would appeal to a Saints side that rank well in the Premier League for both possession (53.8%) and pass accuracy (81.5%). This variety to his passing would certainly make him a valuable player to a side that, in Romeu, Clasie and Hojbjerg, have three midfielders that tend to opt for a safety first approach in possession.

Given that Puel has recently switched to the 4-3-3 formation that his former club have also deployed more often than not, Cyprien’s ability to adjust wouldn’t be a concern. Moreover, given that the defensive side of his game is certainly the area that requires most work, having players like those currently at Saints’ disposal in midfield either side of him would conceivably allow him to play with the sort of freedom that has seen him flourish so far this season.

When afforded that license to support the attack, the 21-year old really comes into his own after all. More than capable of breaking forward with the ball and making intelligent runs off it, Cyprien has been able to weigh in with 5 goals and 2 assists so far this season.

His aforementioned ability to break the lines with the ball at his feet has certainly been key to Nice’s transitions between defence and attack for a side that generally look to keep the ball for long periods - only PSG have averaged more possession. While an average of 1.8 dribbles per game is solid rather than spectacular, his close control and ability to ride challenges has meant that his success rate from attempts to round an opponent is not only the best in France but across Europe’s top 5 leagues of players to complete at least 20 dribbles (88.9%).

When he does get into advanced areas, he’s able to find space and pick up the sort of goalscoring positions that have allowed him to fire off 1.8 shots per game, capable of arriving late in the box or, more often than not, chancing his arm from distance. Of said efforts on goal, 1.2 per game have come from outside the box including a sensational free-kick against PSG earlier this month, while only Allan Saint-Maximin has tested the keeper from range more often than the Nice man (11).

With Southampton’s central midfield options having combined for just one Premier League goal all season, the fact that Puel is keen to add firepower to his ranks outside of the front three is logical, with Cyprien emerging as their top target in that regard. Saints, however, are sure to be rivalled for the signature of one of the hottest prospects in France and it would be no surprise whatsoever to see a bigger name come in for his services.

Should Nice entertain offers they would no doubt be looking for more than twice £5m they paid for Cyprien in the summer. Southampton would need to act fast to secure what would surely be yet another coup for a club that has made a real habit of pulling them off in the past.