Having confirmed the arrival of Stuart Armstrong from Celtic on Tuesday evening, Southampton look set to make Mohamed Elyounoussi their second summer signing.
Dusan Tadic’s move to Ajax has been completed and Sofiane Boufal’s relationship with Saints boss Mark Hughes is frosty. This has led the club to seek fresh creative talent, with Elyounoussi fitting the bill.
The Norwegian wide player is set to join in a deal worth £16 million after FC Basel accepted Saints’ recent offer.
Elyounoussi, fondly known as “Moi”, has been scouted by Southampton for a long time now and it seems after years of speculation, the player is finally set to land his move to the Premier League.
Saints’ expected arrival is not yet a household name to many of the club’s supporters. So, take a look at just who Mohamed Elyounoussi is, and what he will bring to the table!
Background
Elyounoussi, who was born in Morocco, began his footballing youth career in Norway, as he progressed through Sarpsborg’s academy. He made his senior debut for the club at the tender age of 16 after showing exciting signs in the youth teams.
The winger’s potential was evident even at a young age and after he burst onto the scene in Norway, he was generally regarded as one of the Tippeligaen’s brightest teenage prospects.
As Elyounoussi continued to adjust to the physical demands of senior football, he continued to catch the eye. In only his second season as a professional, he was a mainstay in Sarpsborg’s team and his qualities were emerging. After netting nine goals and five assists in some fearless, aggressive displays from out wide, Elyounoussi’s breakthrough season was one to remember.
Such was the success and rapid development of Elyounoussi that he was even rewarded with his first ever international cap for Norway at the age of only 19.
The promising winger earned a big move to Molde in 2014 after yet more individual success with Sarpsborg and immediately established himself as his new club’s talisman. He played in every league game in the Norwegian top-flight and scored 17 goals in all competitions.
Often maligned for his erratic nature during his stint at Molde, Elyounoussi continued his progression despite criticism and established himself as one of Norway’s most talented players. He scored 12 more goals in his next season at Molde and as a consequence of this, a move to Switzerland beckoned for the youngster.
Elyounoussi joined FC Basel in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. He’s established himself as a key member of the club’s starting line-up under both Urs Fischer and Raphael Wicky, featuring consistently as a left-winger. During his time in Switzerland, Elyounoussi has been commended for his maturity and work ethic, reflected by his willingness to press and work hard for his team.
In his debut season for Basel, Elyounoussi continued his productive form from his time in Norway. He found the net on 10 occasions in all competitions and also contributed with 13 assists. It was this level of performance that attracted interest from clubs across Europe.
Last season, however, was without doubt Elyounoussi’s most impressive in his career to date. He managed to score 13 goals in all competitions and contributed with 17 assists for Basel; a stupendous return from the left flank. This included a Man of the Match display at the Etihad Stadium, as FC Basel defeated Manchester City 2-1 in the Champions League.
The likes of Leicester City and Arsenal were linked with respective moves for Elyounoussi throughout last season, but it seems Southampton will be the club who snap him up this summer in a £16m deal.
Style of play
Mohamed Elyounoussi is a creative wide player who is capable of using both feet to invent opportunities for himself and his teammates in front of goal.
The 23-year-old has an immense amount of technical ability and has proven to be a huge threat in wide spaces, as has been depicted by his speciality in facing full-backs in one-on-one scenarios.
Elyounoussi prefers to cut inside and make use of his stronger right foot but has often been applauded for his unpredictability, given how he can shift the ball from right to left in a swift manner when carrying the play forward.
Having operated in an advanced left-wing role in a 3-4-3 system for Basel in recent times, Elyounoussi has been able to put his impressive turn of pace to good use, stretching the play to create gaps in other teams’ defence and penetrating areas in behind the full-backs. He’s intelligent enough to drag defenders away from him and tends to play incisive, positive passes forward.
Elyounoussi is a player who loves to be in possession of the ball in the final third. He brings the ball forward and is capable of playing within a multitude of approaches. The Norwegian international can be an effective player to have on the break due to his slick and efficient use of the ball but can also be useful when attacking deep blocks, given his natural capability of being able to create something out of nothing.
The Basel star’s close control aids him as he operates in tight spaces out wide, with his trickery and dribbling often drawing fouls in dangerous areas of the pitch.
Strengths
Elyounoussi’s primary strength is that he has a track record of productivity. He’s always been a consistent goal threat for his teams and, especially last season has demonstrated a creative threat in the final third.
Despite Elyounoussi’s consistently impressive goal-return throughout his career, he is by no means a greedy player. This is only exemplified by his continuous flow of assists every season, and how he always aims to create opportunities for the team before himself.
Elyounoussi is a player who boasts impressive composure in front of goal and is also commendable due to the ranging types of goals that he scores. He can be relied on to come piling in at the back post as he reads the game intelligently, but is also capable of finishing from long-range and in one-on-one opportunities.
The winger’s naturally acquired skill and flair on the ball have proven over time to be a valuable asset for Basel, with full-backs often struggling to contain Elyounoussi over long periods within matches. He is not an especially rapid player over a distance, but possesses an impressive turn of pace, allowing him to burst away from defenders and initiate attacks for his side.
Flair players are often bemoaned for their alleged lack of effort, but this has never been the case with Elyounoussi. He presses well from the front, covering spaces between opposition defenders and has shown a willingness to track back and support his deeper wide players if the system requires as much.
Another quality of Elyounoussi’s is his ability to play in a range of different positions. Although he is undoubtedly a natural left-winger, he is also capable of operating on the right-hand side and has previously played as a shadow striker in his younger days.
Technically impressive and with a footballing brain to boot, Elyounoussi’s potential is there for all to see and a move to Southampton could be the next step for him.
Weaknesses
As is the case with many young, attacking players, Elyounoussi’s decision-making can often leave something to be desired. His pass selection is occasionally frustrating, but this is something that can be nurtured with good coaching and regular experience against high-quality opposition.
Elyounoussi’s crossing is not necessarily a strong point but this is generally down to the style of winger that he is. The Norwegian international is very much a direct player who looks to move inside and contribute towards link-up play with his central teammates. He specialises when given the freedom to drive at players but doesn’t always convince when tasked with staying wide and being uninvolved in passing sequences.
In truth, there are few outstanding deficiencies in Elyounoussi’s capabilities as a wide player. He will, of course, need to adapt to the physical nature and pace of pressing in the Premier League, but his undeniable ability and admirable work ethic are likely to go some way in easing the transition from Swiss football to English football.
Where does he fit in?
As Sofiane Boufal presses for an exit from Southampton and with Dusan Tadic having already signed for Ajax, Elyounoussi will have no trouble in securing a first-team place at St Mary’s.
Many have suggested that the impending arrival of Elyounoussi would be with the view of him replacing Tadic. However, the Serbian international mainly operated as a number 10 under Mark Hughes, and Elyounoussi has little to no experience of playing in this role.
This would indicate that, in fact, Elyounoussi is more of a replacement for Boufal; perhaps this would be a sensible call, given that there are similarities in the two wingers’ styles and qualities.
Ultimately, Elyounoussi’s role will depend on Hughes’ system. The Saints boss could opt to persist with a back-three formation, utilising wide players or inside forwards, such as by a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-2-1.
Either of these approaches would align with Elyounoussi’s recent experiences with Basel. He has often operated as the advanced left-sided player in a 3-4-3, with the responsibility of providing a genuine attacking threat from the wider areas.
Southampton haven’t had a goalscoring winger since the departure of Sadio Mane two years ago. Elyounoussi may not have the same dynamism and devastating ability on the break, but he is certainly a capable player in front of goal.
Value for money?
£16m is a considerable sum to spend on a player who has only ever played in his native Norway and in Switzerland domestically. However, Elyounoussi has shown on many occasions that he has all the tools required to compete at a high level if afforded the opportunity.
His performances, notably in the Champions League, have reflected his potential to succeed and grow as a player in a top European league. As aforementioned, a period of adaptation would be necessary for Elyounoussi, but his energetic and forward-thinking style suits the Premier League on paper.
Southampton appear to be the only club who have been willing to truly take the plunge and allow Elyounoussi the chance to show his credentials in a division of greater quality and competitiveness. It’s a risk from the club, but one that could bring great rewards if Elyounoussi can live up to his potential.
The club have and are taking measures to strengthen problem positions, exemplified by the impending move for Elyounoussi. With the addition of Stuart Armstrong, too, efforts are being made to remedy Saints’ goalscoring woes.
Following some uncharacteristic moves in recent transfer windows, this seems to be an archetypal Southampton signing. It is the recruitment of a promising player from a lesser-publicised league after extensive scouting.
If Mohamed Elyounoussi is utilised correctly and allowed to express himself in the Premier League, Southampton may be unearthing a gem for the first time in a while.
