5 players your club should buy from Ligue 1, realistically!

Seasons all over Europe are ending or have already ended and Sunday marked the end of the season in France. This got me thinking about the star performers from Ligue 1 and who should be cherry picked this summer following last seasons departures (Giroud, Hazard)….Here’s 5 You should buy.

Goalkeeper – Stephane Ruffier (St-Etienne)

Stephane Ruffier was Christophe Galtier’s first signing with all his newly acquired money after selling Blaise Matuidi, Dmitri Payet and Emmanuel Riviere which all seemed a bit odd, until he started playing. The ex-Monaco goalkeeper has been in sensational form for the past two seasons and he’s a baby in goalkeeping terms (26). Ruffier is a commanding figure from crosses and I would rate him along with Hugo Lloris in terms of shot-stopping (NB: I don’t rate Lloris in any other departments.)

Defender – Nicolas N’Koulou (Marseille)

The best centre-half in Ligue 1 this season edging out Thiago Silva. An utterly dominant defender who can read the game as well as he acts on instinct, he might have one more season in him at the Velodrome but if he is to leave, he will have his choice of suitors. Honourable mentions to Lucas Digne and Serge Aurier here as well, continuing France’s well-trodden tradition of having good full-backs.

Midfielders – Mathieu Valbuena (Marseille)

What he lacks in height, he makes up with impact. Ligue 1′s top assist maker (12) has been in brilliant form now for best part of 18 months and is the creative hub of a very industrial Marseille team, has been known to carry Marseille for lengthy periods. Brilliant set-piece taker and overall one of the most intelligent players in France, will set buying clubs back best part of €15m. Other honourable mentions are Blaise Matuidi, Joshua Guilavogui, Dmitri Payet, Etienne Capoue and Franck Tabanou.

Forwards – Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (St-Etienne) & Wissam Ben Yedder (Toulouse)

Both relative unknowns but two strikers with an appetite for goals and the bigger stage. Aubameyang has been pivotal to St-Etienne’s Coupe De La Ligue victory and 5th place finish, he ended up as 2nd top scorer behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His movement has proven to be a nightmare for defenders this season but does have a tendency to finish erratically. Ben Yedder is a 22-year old French striker of Tunisian descent, a striker with very good reactions and an eye for goal.