Ismaïla Sarr

If not for the existence of a certain Kylian Mbappé, Sarr could quite comfortably be Ligue 1’s great accelerator. He is less of a dribbler and more of a galloper. His stride is enormous but despite being over six feet tall, he seems to glide easily through opposition challenges. If he is not going past an opponent, he is being brought down by them. Watching him in full flow, it becomes apparent why he wins so many penalties and free-kicks in dangerous areas. He does not hesitate to take players on.

Sarr is less of a winger in the traditional sense and instead a great counter-attacking asset capable of dribbling near the touchline or in-field. That does not mean he is not strong in one-on-one situations; in this area he is unique and quite cunning. He tends to pull wide in instances where a counter-attacking opportunity is not available, and opts to draw in his opponent by slowing himself. 

Sarr knocks the ball past his opponent and sets off after they have fallen for his invitation, and on a couple of these occasions – more than enough to be considered a fluke – he has nutmegged the defender making the pressing action. It is cheeky, it is sometimes imperfect, but it is certainly entertaining to watch. 

He is not always successful in these endeavours, and failure can leave him looking foolish and Rennes vulnerable, particularly when there is a simple pass available but he fails to lift his head and scan his surroundings. When his mind is made up, he can be stubborn in trying to implement his ideas.

Operating on either flank, Sarr is best described as an inside forward. He can drive inside from wide positions, and is more than willing to do so. It is in these positions in-between the lines that the 21-year-old has a trick up his sleeve. His inclination to rattle off shots from the 20 to 30-yard range is typical of his style: unpredictable. 

The variety of strikes he can pull off from distance show his undeniable class. He has scored several such stunning goals since moving to Rennes. His volleyed pile-driver against FK Jablonec in the Europa League is one of the most technically brilliant goals scored by any player this season. 

While holding off the challenge of his opponent, he swung his right leg at the bouncing ball and it arrowed into the top of the net from outside the box. A rocket against FC Astana soon followed, as well as a beautifully-curled effort against RC Strasbourg in the league.

His tendency to beat players and to take on audacious shots is emblematic of a player with massive confidence, yet this confidence seems to be sporadic. While he does have irrefutable talent, he is yet to perform in a truly big game. Rennes’ 3-1 defeat of Arsenal in the Europa League saw Sarr clinch the game with a late header, but his impact on the game was overshadowed by the magic of Hatem Ben Arfa. 

In the return leg, it was clear that Arsenal had more class at their disposal, and he largely ghosted through the game. The same can be said in the league. In huge games against Paris Saint-Germain and LOSC Lille, the platform was set for Sarr to signal his ambition intentions, but he frustrated.

The Senegalese winger is a player with excellent athleticism, brilliant individual skill and huge confidence in his own ability. He seems tactically sound as an inside forward in Rennes’ system, but it would be interesting to see him deployed in a different role elsewhere, to see how he would cope. Outside of that, he is playing brilliantly and enjoying a break-out season. 

Yet still you feel there is more for him to give. He has the skillset of a player who could easily be more prolific, more explosive and could contribute to more phases of play rather than just being an attacking menace in the final third.