ONE TO POACH: Gervinho
'Brazilian Elephant' ready to rumble
OUR One to Poach feature looks at players ripe for picking when the biggest clubs aim to do their spending during the next transfer window.
Each week, courtesy of our friends at IMScouting.com, we run the rule over the latest talents to start making a name for themselves in the game.
If you know of anybody you feel should be featured here, please drop us a line using the feedback form at the foot of the page.
Name: Gervinho
Club: OSC Lille
Age: 22
Position: Left winger (can play anywhere in attack)
Statistics: (Ligue 1 & Europa League):
Appearances: 20, Goals: 7, Assists: 1, Yellow cards: 1
The upcoming year is set to be a big one for Ivory Coast. In January, they will be one of the favourites to win the African Cup of Nations in Angola before they look to impress at the first-ever World Cup on African soil.
Many of the current Ivory Coast side are well known players. Didier Drogba, the Toure brothers, Didier Zokora, Aruna Dindane, Emmanuel Eboue and Ndri Romaric are major players for the biggest clubs in Europe. Less well known is Lille winger Gervinho, an attacking player who could well trump many of his celebrated team-mates on the biggest stages of all.
Gervinho is an all-round attacker; he can play in any position as an attacking midfielder or as a striker. During most games he has the freedom to play where he wants although he is predominantly a left-sided winger.
The 22-year-old started his career in the famous youth academy of ASEC Abidjan. During his time there he was given a Brazilian nickname by a coach and since then Yao Kouassi has become known as simply Gervinho. There is no doubt that his impressive attacking qualities led to him receiving such a name.
After a spell at Toumodi, in 2004 when he was just 17, he started his European career and moved to KSK Beveren where he spent two years before signing for Le Mans. His first season in France wasn't easy and he scored only two goals in 26 appearances.
But during the 2008/2009 season Gervinho was one of the revelations of Ligue 1. At the end of last season, big teams from France, England and Spain showed an interest but it was Lille that secured his signing. After selling Michel Bastos to Lyon for 18 million euros, Lille signed Gervinho for 6 million euros and it already looks like a great piece of business.
So far this season, Gervinho has scored seven goals in 20 appearances which is already his best return in a French campaign. This has come despite Lille struggling at the start of the new term.
The two-footed forward has also impressed for his country. In particular at the Olympics, where he captained Ivory Coast and established himself as one of the most exciting players in Beijing. He followed this up with a brace in the recent World Cup qualifying match against Guinea, his first goals for the full national team in his sixth appearance.
Gervinho's main strength is his dribbling ability and blistering speed. Thanks to his excellent technique, he can take out a number of opposition players in one move and can be hugely effective in attacking areas.
His finishing could still be improved as could his heading ability and, if he can add a little strength to his game, Gervinho could be even more impressive against the defenders in Ligue 1.
The "Brazilian Elephant" now has a great opportunity to impress on the world stage in the coming months, his early form for Lille is hugely encouraging and the French side could well regret not securing Gervinho to a longer contract than his current deal until the end of 2011/2012.
IMScouting.com -the leading online database for professional football clubs and agents. It is used by some of the biggest clubs in the world to find new talent, including Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and Lille.
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