"I have never seen so many things brought together in such a young player".
The laudatory sentences of this type multiply about Nahil Kanté.
Coming from the 2008 generation, this midfielder signed up for six years in Paris, as spotted by the site of the Titis du PSG, after growing up between the PSG Academy in Aubervilliers and Red Star.
For Omar, an educator from the Ile-de-France region, a failure of the Rouge et Bleu would have been "a professional misconduct": "PSG has closed it for a long time and I am sure he will succeed".
The story of Nahil Kanté the footballer has barely begun.
Its profile resonates however on the grounds of Paris and its suburbs for years.
Originally from Bourget (Seine-Saint-Denis), he started in one of the Aubervilliers clubs.
But when he was 7, he changed direction: Nahil will now tap the ball on the grounds of the PSG Academy in Aubervilliers.
"I have known him since I was little," says Charles Aklassou, his educator aged 7 to 11.
In a classic club, you don't necessarily touch the ball a lot.
He could have picked up.
Here, he discovered a real notion of pleasure.
His parents were smart to make this choice ”.
"He understands faster than everyone"
Very quickly, this young boy with a frail physique and a voluminous haircut did not go unnoticed.
"All the clubs came to observe it," recalls Charles Aklassou.
I had been reporting this to PSG for years.
It took a long time to get done.
But he is above the rest, he understands faster than everyone else.
Above all, he listens and reproduces to perfection ”.
Most impressive for observers?
The physical capacities of Nahil Kanté.
“He caught my eye immediately,” says Omar.
I saw it for the first time two years ago.
He was 10 years old and he did everything in the field even though he's a shrimp ”.
A number 6 à la Marco Verratti
Endowed with athletic characteristics, vivacious, enduring, it walks on the lawns of Ile-de-France.
“The image of his body, frail, does not correspond to his capacities, notes Tony Ferreira, educator at Red Star who trained Nahil Kanté since his year U11.
He has a big cardio, he protects his ball perfectly.
To catch him, you have to be at fault, you have to.
It's a treat to see it evolve.
He was outclassed in U13 and he was never afraid to go into contact without ever getting injured ”.
His profile ?
A number 6 à la Marco Verratti.
Able to recover the ball, to orient, to raise the ball to the foot.
Many say it: hard to find so complete at his age.
During his years at the Red Star, Nahil Kanté continued his appearances with the PSG Academy.
Above all, in 2018 and 2019, he was elected best player of the Cup at Clairefontaine, even having lost in the final the first year.
If Alec Georgen and Lorenzo Callegari had been spotted by PSG during training courses, Nahil Kanté is the first player actually from the Academy to sign at the training center.
“It is really a number 6 as the club is looking for, analyzes Pierre Yves Bodineau, director of the PSG Academy.
Older, his profile will be very interesting for the first team.
There is nothing but praise for him: technique, vision of the game, thirst for learning, listening, good teammate.
He will grow up at PSG with a much larger staff ”.
Betting on the future of a 13-year-old kid remains risky.
But, at this age, Kylian Mbappé had escaped the club in the capital to go to Monaco.
Nahil Kanté, at least, is well in Paris for a few years.
“It reassures me about their vision of football.
Bravo to PSG, claims Tony Fereira.
I hope we will see it soon.
He has a top family.
I have no doubts about him ”.
