PSG & France star Kylian Mbappe's verdict on Sheffield United target Anis Ben Slimane
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“After Tunisia played France at the World Cup,” Sebastian Stanbury, the Danish journalist, told The Star, “Kylian Mbappe sought him out and wanted to swap shirts with him. He, Mpabbe, told him: ‘See you in the Champions League.’ So Anis has a friend in Paris Saint Germain.”
When the Tunisian midfielder completes his move from Superliga giants Brondby to Bramall Lane, which barring any unforeseen hitches should be sometime very soon, avoiding relegation from the Premier League rather than challenging for European trophies will be his most pressing mission. But Mbappe, one of the great players on the planet, knows a footballer when he sees one after playing with the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in the French capital. So his verdict on Slimane reflects well; not only on the 22-year-old but also United’s judgement.
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Hide Ad“Anis has some obvious qualities,” Stanbury, who works for the website Mediano, continued. “He is technically gifted, a fine passer of the ball and has a strong physique. For some time it has been obvious that both he and Brondby were looking for a sale.”
Taking advantage of Slimane’s desire to play abroad - despite representing the former African champions, he was born in Copenhagen - and the fact he is in the closing stages of his contract, United have negotiated a cut price fee for the youngster; believed to be somewhere in the region of £2m.
But, echoing the thoughts of his professional colleague Toke Theilade, Stanbury confirmed that Heckingbottom’s employers are largely buying potential rather than the finished article. Which is understandable given their modest recruitment budget, at least by English top-flight standards. Not to mention shrewd, with United’s boasting an enviable reputation in development circles having unearthed or polished diamonds such as Iliman Ndiaye, Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in recent seasons.
“He is quite slow and can be inconsistent,” Stanbury said. “He broke through at Brondby in the spring of 2020 and had a great start, lost his place, won it back and lost it again.
“He’s had some disciplinary problems, but nothing too serious in my opinion.”