Wissam Ben Yedder has been a staple in Monaco’s starting XI and the top-end of the Ligue 1 goal standings in recent years. However, that has now begun to change. Folarin Balogun’s arrival at the Principality club has signalled a phasing out, even if Ben Yedder, a ‘technical’ rather than charismatic leader, still wears the captain’s armband.
For club and country, there has been a feeling that Ben Yedder’s career is slowly winding down. The former Sevilla forward began to lose his place in Didier Deschamps’ setup in 2022, missing out on the World Cup in Qatar. However, his name was always in the conversation for a call-up. That is no longer the case, and there seems a tacit acceptance that his career with Les Bleus is over.
At club level, the succession plan was enacted in the summer. The arrival of Balogun was a clear shift that signalled that the Principality club were planning for the future. Whilst Balogun is yet to live up to expectations since his summer move from Arsenal, the USMNT forward is almost undroppable. “The future belongs to him”, said Adi Hütter in a press conference in December.
Ben Yedder, therefore seems like a player that may soon belong to Monaco’s pass. The captain is on considerable wages, and there are no signs of a renewal of his expiring contract. All signs are that this will be the Frenchman’s last season at the Stade Louis II.
Ben Yedder’s tally only bettered by Mbappé
However, despite Ben Yedder cutting a more peripheral figure, he is still incredibly effective when given the chance. Hütter prefers to function with two No.10s, meaning that there is often no room for Ben Yedder in the starting XI. However, he started against former club Toulouse just prior to the winter break, netting a brace that incredibly takes him second in the Ligue 1 goal standings.
Having scored 19 goals in Ligue 1 last season, he has eight this campaign; only Kylian Mbappé has more. With just over 1000 minutes on the pitch, he is averaging 0.71 goals per 90, significantly better than Alexandre Lacazette (0.56 goals per 90), but worse than Mbappé’s record (1.22 goals per 90).
Ben Yedder may be moving into the twilight of his career, but he continues to show what a ruthless finisher he is. If he is surplus to requirements at Monaco, he will certainly be of use to many other clubs in Ligue 1.
