The French football production line never sleeps and never stops. The 2022 World Cup is already over and it’s equally impressive and scary to look at the seemingly endless talent pool of their players. So many that had made the squad are either soon-to-be elite or already deep in that category. Players like Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga or the household name that is Paris Saint Germain’s Kylian Mbappe have already made their name in the football world.
The likes of Randal Kolo Muani made their presence known as well in the tournament. But someone like Lorient’s Enzo Le Fee had to be snubbed despite their undeniable quality. That, too, is a testament to French football’s power.
How good is Enzo Le Fee?
Enzo was born and raised in Lorient, and his first steps into football were with the local youth academy La Vigilante FL Keryado in 2005. After 3 years, he was picked up by Lorient to play and train in their youth system. He would slowly work his way up the ranks, before eventually earning his professional debut for Lorient B.
The 2019/20 season was truly Enzo’s breakout season. He established himself as a first-team regular, making 26 appearances and providing Lorient with a centrepiece in midfield. He primarily played as an attacking midfielder, occasionally showing glimpses of his potential.
Ligue 1’s 22-year-old midfielder is slowly but surely catching the eye of the public and could soon be in line for a big transfer. After all, seeing his meteoric rise of late, to say his time at Lorient may be coming to an end is no longer a stretch at all. In fact, it is almost guaranteed to be true. But who is this French talent? And what do we know about him?
Enzo Le Fée announces: “It’s time for me to leave Lorient. I will no longer extend the contract, I waited for new proposal in December but then it didn’t arrive. It’s time to go”. 🚨🟠🇫🇷
“I hope to leave this summer so my transfer brings money to Lorient”, via @LeTelegramme. pic.twitter.com/dz26zIcK32
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 27, 2023
Le Fee’s amazing ability combined with him being a local, homegrown talent has turned him into a fan favourite for Lorient, and it is easy to see why they have taken to him so well. Whilst he still has a long way to go if he is to meet the lofty expectations placed on him, Enzo has done well to make a name for himself and force himself into becoming one of the first names on the team sheet for Lorient.
Enzo Le Fee stats
Not only is Enzo endowed with great body orientation with which he often makes the most of, but he also oozes class and confidence on the ball beyond his age, using his low centre of gravity exceptionally well, hence often likened to stars Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcantara.
To crunch some numbers, he’s accumulated a total of 3.95 xA in the entirety of 2022/23, providing six assists in the process. In Ligue 1, he ranks in the 95th percentile for shot-assists with 1.39 per 90, 85th percentile in xA with 0.14 per 90, 92nd percentile for smart passes with 1.33 and 85th and 80th percentile for key passes (0.38 per 90) and through passes (1.33 per 90) respectively.
With 1.83 possession-adjusted sliding tackles per 90 minutes, Le Fée ranks in the top 2.5% of Ligue 1 in this category. A similar thing can be said for his 23.51 duels per 90 and 8.74 defensive duels per 90, enough to rank him in the top 10% and top 15% respectively. By all accounts, he is a very combative player both on and off the ball.
Enzo Le Fee scout report
Enzo Le Fee is a 23-year-old player currently playing for Lorient in Ligue 1. Standing at 5’7/170cm and weighing 58kg, he is the prototype diminutive midfielder with a low centre of gravity, an abundance of technical quality and agility. However, he is also extremely versatile. During his young career, Le Fée has been deployed in various positions on the pitch, ranging from the left and right-sided no.8, an attacking midfielder, as part of the double pivot or even as a winger in his youth days. As such, his roles differ. He can be used as the defensive midfielder, a deep-lying playmaker with a half-space presence or as a free-roaming no.10 just behind the striker.
Anyhow, Le Fee usually makes up for this by picking his runs or the right moments to press intelligently. He is not a player who typically tracks back and will only do so if his side of the pitch is being attacked and outnumbered. He does show commitment to the game by working hard, covering a good amount of area on the pitch, and actively contributes in every phase of play.
Another dominant characteristic of Le Fee is his dribbling and carrying ability. When it comes to his progression, he is more akin to someone like Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong in the way he uses his straight-line running power and agility to wiggle out of pressure rather than pass out of pressure. There is a distinct difference between the two and it’s also one of the reasons why he works well in a double pivot.
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— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) March 28, 2023
Enzo Le Fee transfer news
Players in Enzo’s mould are a hot commodity in the modern game, so it is no surprise that many football clubs’ fanbases are desperate for their teams to make a move for Le Fée.
Newcastle United and West Ham have both scouted Enzo Le Fee, with reports suggesting that several Premier League sides are monitoring the 23-year-old closely. His contract expires in 2024 and Lorient, unsurprisingly, want to keep him and tie him down for longer. But Le Fee is attracting a lot of interest and after his public statement, it looks more likely that he leaves in the summer of 2023. Leicester City are also eyeing Le Fee as a potential replacement for Youri Tielemans.
Enzo Le Fee must be one of the biggest talents that did not play at the World Cup in Qatar. At the age of 23, he’s slowly but surely being moulded into an all-action midfielder bound to get a big transfer this summer. Top clubs are already after this versatile dynamo and for good reason too. His skill set can easily fit into many big teams’ tactics and soon, the world will uncover this diamond in the rough.
