HAN-NOAH MASSENGO
CLUB: Bristol City POSITION: Midfield AGE: 18 VALUE: £5m WHAT HAS HE GOT?
SINCE the 2017-18 season Bristol City have sold a whole back four — Adam Webster, Aden Flint, Lloyd Kelly and Joe Bryan — but manager Lee Johnson has cleverly developed an effervescent midfield formation which gives a protective shield to his new defence. The driving force is an 18-year-old French player from Monaco. Bushy-haired and legs pumping, Massengo is a vital cog in Bristol’s formation as he sprints towards opponents to make challenges and interceptions. Lively from the kick-off when I watched him, he began to boss the centre field immediately, racing towards the opponents’ highly-rated playmaker, showing he was going to give him a hard time. Right-footed, he is playing with far more experienced players but shows a tenacity and competitiveness which augurs well for a teenager. He did not attempt anything too clever and played within his limitations by moving the ball simply to colleagues. He closed down quickly as part of a compact group, with the back four playing high and holding the line. He was always available for a return pass if he saw the space. He has high energy, maintaining sharp bursts for long periods. His determination in the final minutes led to a goal.
WHAT DOES HE NEED?
NOT the tallest at 5ft 9in, he challenged in centre field for a couple of high balls but lost out on each occasion. But that was a minor downside. Finding himself surrounded and trapped by two opponents, he made an adroit pirouette to get out of trouble and stride away in possession, only to be upset that the referee had already awarded him a free-kick. Clever recruitment has secured this youngster from Monaco, where former manager Thierry Henry played and encouraged him. Henry’s replacement Leonardo Jardim, looking for more experienced players, sanctioned Massengo’s move. It looks clear to me that this bundle of energy will prove Bristol City to be the beneficiaries of that decision and maybe a big-money sale is in the offing one day.