Players for Top leagues #10 — Mandela Keita
The tenth player on the list of interesting options for strengthening in the top European championships is Mandela Keita.
Player Profile:
Age: 19
Height: 180 cm
Role: defensive midfielder
Club: “OH Leuven”
Nationality: Belgian
National team: Belgium U21
He won a place at the start eleven of his native club. In the 2021/2022 season he played 19 out of 21 games in the Belgian championship. He received a call-up to the U21 team for the November matches.
A young defensive midfielder, a graduate of the Belgian “Leuven”. At the age of 12, he went for a year in “Genk”, but could not gain a foothold and returned back. The transition to adult football did not cause problems. Mandela has qualities that allow him to be compared with Moussa Dembele, who played several seasons at the highest level. Keita is a stylistic copy of a compatriot.
Strong features:
1. Ability to get out of pressing. Keita has a great first pass (86% overall pass accuracy), he can carry the ball successfully (2.4 attempts per 90min, 69% success). Critical traits for a central midfielder who often drops into defense to launch an attack.
2. Key defendings. He can anticipate the opponent’s actions, knows where he needs to be. Only 12 fouls in 19 games, with an average of 3.8 tackles per match — excellent indicators for a debutant.
3. Physical characteristics. Keita is a quite powerful player for his age. He can’t be moved away from the ball. It is hard to take the ball away without breaking the rules (1.6 fouls suffered per 90min)
Weak features:
1. This is Keita’s first season. It is not yet clear how stable he will be able to play at the level that he is showing now.
2. Speed. It is simply not enough, it may not have time to respond to the opponent’s actions in a timely manner.
3. Speed. Keita is well developed physically. Tall, muscular, with a wide stride. But, as often happens, powerful players lack the sharpness of movements, agility and speed qualities. He may not have react to the opponent’s actions in time.
Statistics:
Successful actions, % — 83%
Accurate passes, % — 86%
Successful dribbles, % — 69%
Defending challenges, per 90min — 9
Defending challenges won, % —62%
Air challenges, per 90min — 2,4
Air challenges won, % — 63%
Fouls suffered, per 90min — 1,6
Ball recoveries/ Interceptions , per 90min — 5,9/4,2
Tackles, per 90min/Tackles won, % — 3,8/70%
Fouls, per 90min — 0,91
First two images: Keita’s dribbling. Often uses a technique with covering the ball with the body and turning.
Third and Fourth image: the young belgian plays in defence. Confidently goes in tackles, puts his foot and knocks the ball out. It is extremely difficult for opponents to fight such a powerful player.
After a successful action, the episode ends with a pass to an open partner. However, sometimes he does not make the best choice of destination for pass.
What is the next step ?
Is this player ready to move to the next level? I think it’s too early to say so. He plays his first season in the Belgian top league. Most likely, this season will not be his last in “Leuven”. Perhaps this summer, “Leicester City” will sign Keita. (“Leuven” their affiliated club)
I am sure that if injuries do not interfere, then Keita will play at the highest level. Such players are an incredible rarity in football. I think it’s worth the wait, we are at the origins of the career of an extraordinary player.
What’s the result?
19-year-old central midfielder, very similar to Moussa Dembele. Powerful, smart, good in defense and dispersing attacks. He is strong in challenges and tackles, gets out of difficult situations, plays tough, but clearly. The cost on Transfermarkt is 400 thousand euros. Contract until 2024.
