Sunderland’s fifth and final signing of the January transfer window saw Bordeaux playmaker Wahbi Khazri make the switch to the Premier League in a four-and-a-half-year deal. Speaking on his move to Wearside, he explained former team-mate Henri Saivet’s role in convincing him to leave Ligue 1:
“My qualities are technique and I’m very combative. I’m very happy to play for Sunderland. It is amazing because I wanted to play in the Premier League; for me it is the best league in Europe so I’m very excited and I can’t wait to play games. I spoke with my friend Henri Saivet who plays for Newcastle so he knows all about Sunderland, and he said it is the best league and that the people are fantastic.”
The History
Born in Ajaccio, Khazri spent eight years learning his trade at the youth academy of local outfit Jeunesse Sportive Ajaccio. In 2003, he sealed a move to Ligue 1 side SC Bastia, where he would spend six years progressing through the ranks before earning a senior debut midway through the 2008/09 Ligue 2 campaign.
Khazri swiftly established himself as a starter at Bastia, producing three goals and one assist in 12 appearances that season. In his sophomore campaign, he tallied just two goals and as many assists in 31 outings as Bastia were relegated to the third division of French football. They would subsequently go on to earn consecutive promotions, with Khazri scooping a career-best haul of 10 goals and nine assists on their return to Ligue 2.
Khazri’s first stint in the top flight with Bastia was a fruitful one, harvesting seven goals and nine assists across 29 outings. The 2013/14 campaign proved less productive, though, yielding six goals and three assists in 32 appearances. Nonetheless, the calibre of his performances courted the attention of Bordeaux, who drafted him into their squad in the summer of 2014.
Chalking up nine goals and seven assists in 32 appearances, Khazri excelled in his maiden campaign with the Girondins. Likewise, he demonstrated his dual threat in the first half of this Ligue 1 season, posting five goals and seven assists in just 20 outings.
Khazri plied his trade for Tunisia U20s and France U21s before choosing to represent Tunisia at the senior level. To date, he’s racked up 22 caps for the African nation, mustering eight goals and three assists in the process.
The Prospects
The attacking midfielder was deployed in a myriad of positions during his two terms with Bordeaux, operating at the wings, number-ten berth or centre-forward slot in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 set-up. Offering his thoughts on Sunderland’s new attacking recruit, Sam Allardyce said that Khazri’s adaptability formed a key part of his attraction:
“Wahbi is a quick, dynamic attacking player. He has many attributes, not least his delivery from wide areas and set pieces and of course his ability to score goals. His versatility will certainly complement our existing forward options and I am delighted to welcome him to the club.”
Allardyce has opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation of late, fielding Fabio Borini or Danny Graham – who’s now joined Blackburn Rovers on loan – as makeshift wide men. With Jeremain Lens and Adam Johnson already at the club, the Black Cats boss now has three players at his disposal that are capable of interchanging across those three supporting roles, ideally furnishing Jermain Defoe with a better quality of service. That said, there’d be no surprise if the new boy was handed the central support role behind Defoe.
On that note, Sunderland have struggled to supply their forwards with ammunition this term, ranking joint-second-bottom – ahead of West Bromwich Albion (163) – for key passes (180). Khazri seems like an astute buy, then, given that he sits second in the Ligue 1 assists charts (seven) this term behind Angel Di Maria (10), while only four midfielders notched more key passes (46) through the opening 23 Gameweeks. In comparison, Johnson places top among the Wearsiders’ midfield contingent with 29 key passes.
Pitched at 6.0, Khazri could be a surprise gem on the transfer market, if – like ex-Marseille star Dimitri Payet – he can replicate his supreme capacity for attacking returns in England’s top flight. Akin to West Ham United’s man of the moment, Khazri is adept from dead-ball situations and boasts five goals direct from free-kicks in his fledgling career, suggesting he could be handed set-pieces by Big Sam as he looks to guide the Black Cats to survival.
For now, Sunderland’s tough schedule (MCI, liv, MUN) affords us with time to assess Khazri’s prospects before we consider him as a differential. Beyond Gameweek 26, however, Allardyce’s troops enjoy a decent run through to Gameweek 34 (whu, CRY, sou, EVE, new, WBA, LEI, nor) that could see the 24-year-old arrive on some Fantasy managers’ radars if he can hit the ground running in his new surrounds.
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