Wonderkid #8 - Florian Thauvin

Potential to develop: Thauvin has impressed scouts this season, but needs to start more matches

Hello again everyone and welcome to my latest blog post, where I have the 8th installment of my wonderkid series, where I review and analyse some of the best young upcoming talents in world football today, who have potential to be special in the future. 

Today, I am going to be analyzing 21-year-old creative midfielder Florian Thauvin, who currently plays for Marseille in Ligue Un.

Pace and close-control: Two rare qualities in an attacking midfielder - Thauvin has both. 

Handful: Thauvin has the potential to be a great midifelder for a top European club in the future

He has impressed scouts this season with his bursting runs into the box, as well as his contribution to the side in terms of goals and assists, which in turn has made him a reliable play for Marseille to count on as they look to push on and qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.  

He has scored 11 goals and made 4 assists in all competitions this season, for Marseille and France's U-20's side alongside other good young players including Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo.

France's U-20's side played at the youth World Cup, and Thauvin and Pogba ran the show!

Florian Thauvin FACTS:

FACT: He was born on the 26th of January, 1993.

FACT: In January of this year, he was named by The Guardian as one of the ten most promising young players in Europe.

FACT: Thauvin has made 24 appearances for the France national team, from U-18 level to U-21 level. 

FACT: He played for three clubs in the space of one year (Lille, Bastia and Marseille in 2013) 

FACT: He made his professional league debut for Grenoble on the 11th of March, 2011.

FACT: He left Grenoble at the end of the season following the club going into administration, before signing his first professional contract with Bastia.

FACT: He was heavily-linked with a potential move to English side Arsenal in January of last year, but instead opted for a switch to Lille - signing a four-and-a-half contract deal with the transfer fee thought to be around £2.5million pounds.

FACT: He joined Marseille on the 2nd of September 2013, signing on a five-year-contract-deal for around £13million pounds after forcing the move from Lille - by being absent from training. 

His stat-by-stat qualities: 

Acceleration and overall speed - He is quick off-the mark and knows how to beat his marker with electric pace to speed away. Very fast and is able to retain ball possession when needed.

Close control dribbling - Important for every winger/attacking midfielder to weave their magic past the opposing defenders, and he has a lot of it. He dribbles past players from improbable angles and can deliver crosses into the box from it. 

Finishing - He doesn't take a lot of shots, but he scores a lot of goals from the shots he takes. Outside of the foot, finesse shots, power shots galore. Give him a chance, he will score.

Counter attacking threat - Going forward there is nothing a defender hates to see more than a player like Thauvin.

A young, pacy attacking midfielder who can play on the flanks as well, his dribbling and close-control when on the ball proves a struggle for most defenders, on top-form.

He just needs to get regular first-team football, whether that is with Marseille or not is the question. He is good enough to play in the Champions League, and if Marseille do not qualify for that this season I have a feeling that he may angle for a move elsewhere, to a stronger club in Europe. 

 Thauvin could leave Marseille, for a top European club if they do not qualify for the CL