Over the years, we’ve seen an increase in players across Europe who have purposely run down their contracts until the end, with the most famous example of this being Kylian Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024. Others of a lower stature have also done the same, risking the potential of injury or a change in market dynamics for the upside in dictating where they want to go next (alongside a massive sign-on bonus).
We have an interesting example of this phenomenon going on in Ligue 1 at the moment. Arthur Avom has been with Lorient since 2023, and has been a regular starter in midfield since his age 19 season in 2024-25 season when Lorient won the Ligue 2 title. He’s become a niche favorite among nerds since then, popping up in select company statistically among midfielders in Europe.
While Lorient were able to extend Avom’s contract by another year due to an option clause, with each passing day it seems more likely the 21 year old will be leaving for nothing. You can make an argument that he’s been one of the better midfielders in France for over a year now, and should there be no new extension signed, there won’t be a lot of better options on a free transfer than him.
Around a year ago, I talked about Avom as part of a collection of intriguing Ligue 1 talents. With more of a sample size to his name in France’s top flight, he’s more than justified his inclusion in the group. The passing looked promising back then, and that has certainly remained the case. According to Scout Lab, he was in the 77th percentile among midfielders in the big 5 leagues last season for progressive passes, 84th percentile for expected threat generated from open play passes, and 91st in deep completions. Via Statsbomb, he was 12th among Ligue 1 midfielders in line-breaking passes per 90, and 10th in line-breaking passes towards the opposition half in 2025-26.
The numbers in the first quarter or so of the season have continued to be a notable positive. Progressive passes? 99th percentile. Expected threat? 94th percentile. Deep completions remain high even with the slight drop off in the 82nd percentile. Statsbomb has him ranked 1st in line-breaking passes, and 4th in line-breaking passes towards the opposition half. There is still a lot of the season left to play, but we’ve reached the point where those numbers can be taken at somewhat face value.
To my eyes, this stretch has seen him be more authoritative in terms of those between the lines passes which can help unlock sequences of play. It’s been helped by being more calm and consistent with receiving. There’s been less awkwardness in how he’s received the ball on the first touch, which has helped him survey the pitch easier. Using either foot, Avom can thread those passes into the feet of teammates without them needing to shift their positioning too much when receiving.
What I’m curious about going forward is what level of creative threat he becomes. He’s been in the 84th (25-26) and 88th percentile (26-27) for open play expected assists, via Scout Lab. Having more Ligue 1 matches under his belt, I’m not sure he’s currently quite the caliber of playmaker who can regularly unlock defenses. On occasion, you’ll see him have miscommunication with a teammate trying to prepare a run into space which could turn into a pre-assist. His ability to hit the right delivery on switches of play can be lacking at times too, underhitting the open man.
This is the kind of passing you want to see from Avom on a consistent basis vs mid-blocks, especially when given time to face forward and dictate play.
With Lorient continuing to be a side which invites pressure out of possession, Avom does a lot of defensive work while in a lower block. A lot of what I said last year still remains true. He’s a battler who’ll take chances at lunging tackles on the blindside of opponents, to varying degrees of success. You sometimes wish he was a couple of inches taller, because there’ll be instances of him expertly reading the opposing player’s eyes while they’re attempting the pass, but not being able to cleanly intercept the ball.
Avom is one of Ligue 1’s better prospects at the moment. While he might not have one elite skill in his repertoire, his ability to do different things at a good to very good level makes him valuable. It can be those quick one or two touch passes between the lines, short bursts out of possession to help cover up space, or letting the ball roll past him to create an extra bit of breathing room. The ability to shapeshift and still provide positive impact is powerful.
What will be interesting with Avom going forward is whether he can produce goals and assists from open play. He has played on a Lorient side that doesn’t often get into dangerous positions in general, whether it be from buildup or playing on the counter. There has been a willingness from him this season to make himself available in the final third through off-ball movement, which is a fruitful method for juicing up goal contributions. If he can add this to his game, his standing would rise even further.
The fact that Avom is seemingly running down the remaining months of his contract makes him an attractive target for those in need of midfield reinforcements, and a financial hit for Lorient. They were hoping to get a notable transfer fee like they’ve done for others in the past. Now more than ever, most Ligue 1 teams rely on player trading and having a good prospect walk out the door for nothing is tough to stomach.
As it stands now, there’s no reason to think he couldn’t get real minutes for a low to mid-table Premier League side or some club in a big 5 league who’s trying to chase Europa League or Conference League qualification. Kroupi, Pagis, and Dango Ouattara (Brentford) have left Lorient in recent years to go on one of those two paths. For example, if Hull City continue to defy the odds and survive relegation this season, getting Avom on a free transfer next summer could be one of those moves which age like fine wine. There shouldn’t be a drastic change from playing with Lorient vs how Hull have operated themselves, and maybe his passing could give them an extra bit of quality to avoid a harsh second year slump in the PL.
French football has long been a market where clubs in Europe have been able to find quality talents at affordable prices. At the high end, you get the kind of gamebreakers who define a generation. Those guys are obviously incredibly rare, but even players who are multiple levels below that lofty standard end up becoming solid contributors. Lucien Agoumé could be argued as an example. He was once a darling among analysts while in his early 20s with Stade Brestois and Troyes. Inter had him on their books and were willing to sell for cheap, which Sevilla took advantage of a couple of years ago. While not evolving into a star, he settled into being a capable starting midfielder in LaLiga through a combination of proficient passing and front-footed defending.
Do I think Avom will be a star? That’s tough to say. He’d need to make a jump in creativity or become lights out at making those penetrative passes into gaps, while still helping out of possession to make himself a great player. Maybe it can happen, as he’s already shown a lot as a prospect. Even if he ends at a similar level to someone like Agoumé, not having to spend a transfer fee would be tidy business. Arthur Avom’s emergence is another example of France’s deep talent pipeline, with teams in Europe hoping to be the beneficiary and adding to their midfield core.
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