Why Fulham must make a move for Valentin Rongier in January
According to a report from Jeunes Footeaux, Fulham are interested in Nantes midfielder Valentin Rongier and are preparing an offer of €25million to submit in January.
Valentin Rongier, 23, has established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet at Nantes with his consistent displays in the midfield. He has played 14 games for Nantes in Ligue 1 this season, scoring a goal.
With Claudio Ranieri now at Fulham’s helm, the London club’s interest in Valentin Rongier clearly suggests that the Italian tactician wants to reunite with the Nantes midfielder. But should Fulham make a move for the Frenchman?
It’s Claudio Ranieri’s revolution at Fulham now after the club decided to sack Slavisa Jokanovic last month following a poor start to the Premier League season. All hopes will be pinned on Ranieri to turn the club’s fortunes around quickly before things turn more disastrous.
Last weekend’s defeat at Chelsea clearly outlined Fulham’s need for a cultured defensive midfielder. The Cottagers spent heavily on Jean Michael Seri in the summer but he has faded after a bright start. Seri’s versatility allows him to play in a number of roles in the midfield but he is best suited to playing alongside a strong holding midfielder.
Ranieri’s predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic tried the likes of Stefan Johansen, Calum Chambers and Kevin McDonald in the deeper role but none of them excelled, leaving Fulham’s backline with very little protection. And since it is evident that the Fulham backline needs more protection, Ranieri can solve that problem by signing his former protégé, Valentin Rongier.
Rongier is renowned for his defensive work rate, his ability to break opposition’s advances and initiate attacks from the deep. Blessed with a sound technique for a holding midfielder, the Frenchman is comfortable in possession and can carry the ball forward with energy and purpose. However, his most impressive attribute is winning the ball and distributing it very quickly.
To add to his ball-winning and distribution skills, the 23-year-old is known for his game-reading ability and positional play. He is the sort of player who does not hesitate to stick his foot out to stop the opposition’s progress and does the donkey’s work in the midfield.
Rongier possesses the ability to change the point of the attack with accurate cross-field passes and diagonals. Furthermore, he is a player who can run tirelessly for hours without running out of gas.
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Rongier would definitely add solidity to the midfield and offer a layer of protection in front of a porous Fulham backline. He ticks all the boxes to be an ideal midfield partner for Seri and Fulham should do everything possible to land the Frenchman in January.