One of the most wanted players in France, one of the most likely to leave his club in the summer. His last mission in France is to help Guingamp win promotion. Jonathan Johnson profiled Gianelli Imbula for this year's Le50, and he is the real deal.
Since becoming the youngest player in Ligue 2 history when he made his debut aged just 17 years, one month and four days in 2009, big things have been expected from Gilbert "Gianelli" Imbula. Fast-forward to 2012 and his team En Avant Guingamp are challenging for promotion to France's top-flight for the first time since their relegation in 2004.
A provincial club, only their shock 2009 Coupe de France triumph (yes, while they were in the second tier) and a 2006 Intertoto Cup decorate the trophy cabinet. That small standing has, however, enabled the Belgian-born, Franco-Congolese midfielder to fly under the radar, remaining relatively unrecognised. That hasn't stopped Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea from spotting his talent, but until summer at least, he will remain at Guingamp.
Unlike former teammate and last year's Le50 representative Anthony Knockaert, EAG have been able to hold onto Imbula after slapping a €9.5 million price tag on his head. However, the club that helped launch the careers of Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Vincent Candela and Stephane Guivarc'h will not be able to keep him past this season unless they reach the Promised Land of Ligue 1 for an eighth season in their existence. Even if they do, there is no guarantee that the 20-year-old will stay at the Stade du Roudourou.
On the pitch, Imbula is a defensive midfield enforcer. An athlete with raw power and pace and a ferocious competitor, he is deceptively skilful and has superb technique for someone who has not yet tasted any level of international football. Left-footed and relatively big (6ft 1in), Imbula is a hard-working box-to-box midfielder in the mould of Newcastle's Moussa Sissoko, and is capable of complementing the attack despite being based further back on the pitch.
Although he has the ability to add to a team's attacking prowess, it is something we rarely see from Imbula. Instead he prefers to focus on his defensive duties, but as anyone who witnessed his thumping drive against Le Havre earlier in the season will agree, he is more than capable of finding the net with his favoured left peg. In fact, that strike is only the third one of his career so far with goalscoring arguably the weakest point of his game. His others are heading and set pieces, something he needs to work on given his physique.
Goals may be something of a collector's item with Imbula, but he contributes more in the form of assists. The fact that EAG manage to keep regular clean sheets is testament to the control the midfield general has over his side's defensive efforts. Despite an abundance of talent all over the pitch at senior level, it is amazing that the Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB) have not seen fit to even hand the Vilvoorde native a solitary under-21 cap so far.
"The next Claude Makélélé" he may be, but "the next Moussa Sissoko" is more likely. Imbula has the raw attributes to become a top Ligue 1 star if given the chance. But if he is to move on sooner rather than later, it seems probable that he will recognise his potential elsewhere if nourished correctly. His value is undermined slightly by his lack of prowess in front of goal, but that is something that can be improved with time.
Ligue 1 experience will benefit Imbula and if Guingamp reach the Promised Land then it will be thanks, partly, to him. His absence next season could however prove costly for both parties if he leaves Brittany too early.
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