What makes Boubacar Kamara a top transfer prospect?
Boubacar Kamara may only be 22. However, the young Marseille midfielder has already made 141 senior team appearances in Ligue 1 - one of the top five leagues in Europe.
Kamara has emerged not only as a lynchpin for Marseille in recent years but also as a top transfer target for European clubs.
So, what makes Kamara so special?
Boubacar Kamara excellent at two defensive positions on the field
Kamara made his breakthrough for the senior team under Rudi Garcia in the 2018/19 Ligue 1 season.
Deployed as a centre-back to partner Duje Caleta-Car, Kamara excelled in that position to earn an opportunity to play in the Europa League that season as well.
The following season, Andre Villas-Boas employed him as a holding midfielder in the absence of Kevin Strootman. Marseille secured a Champions League return that season after a staggering gap of seven years.
What a player Boubacar Kamara (21) is turning into - André Villas Boas positioning him in midfield has given him an exceptional passing radar & a great sense of phases of play. If he eventually returns to the centre of defence, this spell will have exponentially improved him.
Given Marseille's lack of squad depth, Villas-Boas also used Kamara's services as a full-back in the Champions League. Kamara's versatility came to the fore during this time.
Every manager's delight
Kamara's youthful exuberance and discipline on the field made him a manager's favorite.
Rolando Jorge, who was the captain of Marseille under Garcia, had the following to say:
"This kid is a phenomenon. When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one, I said, no, but this little one is going to be a great player. He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary."
One of AVB's most-trusted players, he earned a lot of praise even from the players that played around him.
21 y/o Boubacar Kamara recorded some brilliant stats for Marseille v Lyon this evening. He had the most in the match for each of:
Passes in the opposition half (32)
Regained possession (9)
Pass completion (91.5%)
Aerial duels won (100%)
Balls played (85)
💪🇫🇷
#OMOL #Ligue1
Kamara is hungry for more
In his first full-season for Marseille, Kamara became a Europa League finalist as Marseille lost to Atletico Madrid in the 2018/19 final.
Marseille's return to the Champions League also fulfilled one of Kamara's long-standing ambitions. However, Marseille's inconsistencies as a team have meant that they qualify once in a while. Thus, taking a transfer seems to be one of the plausible routes to play Champions League football regularly.
Inflation!
Kamara's age, apart from his qualities as a player, is a significant factor behind him being one of the most sought-after players.
At the age of 22, his prime is yet to come and allowing him to prosper at Stade Valedrome will only result in a staggering buy-out price in the future.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Serie A club Atalanta are keeping tabs on Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara with AC Milan also interested in the 22-year-old, according to @IgnazioGenuardi.
Major teams across Europe are thus more keen to get his signature as quickly as possible.