His profile was unanimous in Monaco.
German international striker Kevin Volland, the latest ASM recruit, dreams of leaving his mark on the Rock as his compatriot Jürgen Klinsmann did in the first half of the 1990s, before his Ligue 1 debut on Sunday against Nantes .
Presented as combative, altruistic and scorer, the defector from Leverkusen should, according to his trainer Niko Kovac and his sports director Paul Mitchell, quickly seduce the supporters.
“It will bring us strength and aggressiveness”, already relishes Kovac.
“He's the first to squeeze when you don't have the ball.
When you have it, it takes depth, makes you appreciate its physical and technical qualities.
He is a complete player, worker for the collective and scorer. "
"I'm ready. I am 28 years old, I am in the best age. ”
Kevin volland
Bought 11 million euros from Bayer, the international (10 caps, one goal) has just completed eight full seasons in the Bundesliga, even if his last months were disrupted by an ankle injury.
Operated in February, he however took advantage of the interruption of the competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic to return to form when he was restarted at the end of May.
“Time has passed, this injury is behind me,” he says.
Since then, I have played a lot in Germany.
I'm ready.
I am 28 years old, I am in the best age. ”
This feeling is confirmed by his trainer, very vigilant about the physical level of his players.
“He can already help us.
He's in good shape, at a good level.
He can be part of the team from the start or come into play, ”against Nantes, said Kovac.
Complementary to Ben Yedder?
During the first two days of L1, Monaco scored four points.
But his three goals were all scored by center-backs.
Volland will be responsible for supporting the French international Wissam Ben Yedder, lonely in front.
“Kevin is very versatile,” says Mitchell.
He can play on the left, on the right, in the axis.
I'm sure he and Ben Yedder will be able to grow together. ”
The native Bavarian is also expected as a leader.
"He is ambitious, has an aggressive attitude on the field", characterizes Mitchell again.
"This is what we want to see collectively."
However, the person concerned tempers: “This is a first for me abroad, a great personal experience.
France is different from Germany.
I hope to help the team soon.
But maybe I would need some time?
In France there are a lot of duels, one against one. "
Morientes jersey
In order to erase these questions, Kovac is counting on its experience.
“He's very experienced,” he says.
He's an international.
He will be a great asset to the team.
Especially since each season he scores around fifteen goals and assists around ten. ”
This consistency, shown in Hoffenheim (36 goals, 39 assists in 144 games) then in Leverkusen from 2016 (50 goals, 32 assists in 148 games), had even led to the national team before the World Cup. 2014. But Joachim Löw did not make him world champion.
His ten capes gleaned between 2014 and 2016 did not allow him to settle permanently in the Mannshaft.
Across the Rhine, Volland will therefore certainly never become the equal of Jürgen Klinsmann, 1990 world champion and 1996 European champion, "a legend in Germany and whom I hope to equal in Monaco", or of Oliver Bierhoff, champion of 'Europe 1996. But his predecessors on the Rock (1992-94 for the first, 2001-02 for the second) opened the way for him.
He already knows the Louis-II stadium, having played there with Leverkusen in 2016 in the Champions League (1-1).
“Monaco is a great club.
Moreover, one of my first shirts was that of Morientes, of the finalist team of the Champions League in 2004, ”he recalls.
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