Ligue 1: M'Baye Niang, Auxerre's bet
M'Baye Niang with the Senegal jersey.
REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Text by: Farid Achache Follow
4 mins
Bordeaux striker M'Baye Niang (L2) has signed a one-year contract with newly promoted Auxerre, plus an optional year.
The Senegalese international (23 caps, 4 goals), very close to joining Marseille in the summer of 2020, will attempt a return to the fore, he who was promised a great career.
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“
A few days after the arrival of Gideon Mensah, it is the turn of M'Baye Niang to come and reinforce the ranks of Auxerre.
The 27-year-old Senegalese international striker has signed a contract for one season, plus another optional one, and will wear number 11
, "said a press release from AJ Auxerre promoted to L1.
Started in Ligue 1 at the age of 16
The Senegalese international has therefore just signed for a tenth club.
Niang, who made his first-team debut in Ligue 1 against Toulouse FC at the age of sixteen years and four months, has not had the expected career despite some talent.
The winner of the Coupe de France in 2019 with Rennes had tried to revive last season in Bordeaux.
If in Brittany, he had shone with 21 goals in 55 appearances (2018-2020), in Gironde, the experience was far from conclusive.
He landed after yet another loan, this time in Saudi Arabia, where he had not enjoyed the experience.
“
Football there sucks.
Instead of progressing, you drag your feet, you train at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. … Not at my age, he had regretted in the columns of South West.
Even if I took a lot of money, even if you can do everything on the side, go to the restaurant at 4 am for example, I wasn't doing what I had come for.
I did not take pleasure in training, in matches it was worse.
In the end, I didn't even train anymore.
I came, I sat and I watched
.
»
The Bordeaux fiasco
With the
Bordelais
, the native of the Paris region was established only 8 times.
He had arrived as a joker, which had allowed his recruitment outside the transfer window dates.
“
M'baye is a talented player who knows the L1 well.
He is a striker with a different profile who can bring a lot to our team while giving more solutions to our coach.
Since our first exchanges with him, we feel a player very motivated to give new impetus to his career.
We are happy to be able to count on Mbaye
, ”said Admar Lopes, the sports director, at the Girondins site at the time.
Finally, he did not have enough to expand his CV, he who was promised a prestigious career in a major European club.
AC Milan secured his services in 2012. But he never had the opportunity to flourish in the Lombard club, and was often loaned out.
A
precocious talent
who is predicted a royal destiny and who gets lost along the way.
The Russian Thinning
Against Poland, at
the 2018 World Cup
in Russia, M'Baye Niang had become the first Senegalese scorer since 2002. He left the Spartak Moscow Stadium with the man of the match trophy under one arm.
He had been the main architect of the victorious return of the "Lions of Teranga" in the World Cup, after 16 years of absence.
At the time, the resident of Torino could hope for a form of rebirth, when he was only 23 years old.
“
For me, M'baye is THE footballer, it's class, charisma and character.
He is a boy who can do a lot of things.
I think he is one of the most talented players on this team
,” said coach Aliou Cissé.
And to add:
I really hope that this World Cup will serve as a springboard for him to make up for the six years he lost.
It really is a mess.
Mbaye is made to play in a big European club
.
A few months before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, M'Baye Niang, who did not experience Senegal's continental title at CAN 2022 in Cameroon, has the opportunity to perform again with Auxerre to possibly renew his adventure with the Lions. , he who had been a finalist for CAN 2019 in Egypt.
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