Brahim Konate – Scout Report
The 21-year-old Auxerre midfielder Brahim Konate is the subject of interest from Premier League new boys Huddersfield Town and may yet be part of their squad for the big kick off. Let’s take a closer look at his attributes and at who he actually is.
History
Konate was born in Montfermeil, France, in 1996 and represents the French under-20’s, though he is of Malian descent. He learned his trade as a midfield player at the youth set-up, Livry Gragan, in the Paris suburbs before joining the academy at Auxerre.
Two years in their youth team led to him being called up to the B team in 2013 and 24 appearances followed for the Auxerre second string. In 2015 he made his debut for Auxerre’s first team and to date has made just 14 appearances, though his talent has been recognised by France and he has now made 6 appearances for the national under-20’s.
Konate has taken Ligue2 by storm and is already looking for a step up to top level football, though few would have thought it would come in the English Premier League.
Style Of Play
Konate is more of a defensive midfielder and as such he has little interest in the attacking third. Just as tradition demands since the days of Claude Makelele, Konate has developed into yet another French player capable of sitting just in front of the defensive line and protecting his centre-backs.
His game is all about tackles, blocks and when needed, clearances. His passing game is neat and tidy and he has all the attributes to make a top level player, though in the short to medium term, he may struggle with the physicality of the Premier League and may need more time on the ball than he is likely to get.
His Future
Konate’s future is definitely bright and he looks certain to play for one of the big teams in France, or go to England or Spain. For his part, I would say it would be wise to have another season in Ligue1 in his homeland before considering the Premier League, though I’m sure the player is confident enough to make the leap.
Huddersfield Town know that despite promotion, their budget is limited when compared to the big boys and so they need to be clever with their signings. Konate may yet prove to be an inspired choice for the Terriers and all eyes will be on him in Yorkshire should he sign for Huddersfield Town in the next few days or weeks.