Who’s this goalscorer against Manchester City in CL that Arsenal are targeting? All you need to know

Scout Report – Mohamed Elyounoussi

Arsenal have entered the race to sign versatile attacker Mohamed Elyounoussi, along with fellow Premier League clubs Southampton and Leicester City, according to a report from ESPN.  

The 23-year old, who plies his trade for Swiss club FC Basel, was the star for his team when his team registered an upset 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the UEFA Champions League earlier this week.  

Elyounoussi scored the equaliser for Basel, before setting up the winner against the Cityzens and his display seems to have garnered a lot of attention in England with all the three aforementioned clubs considering a summer swoop for the player.  

With the player generating such interest, here we bring you the lowdown on Mohamed Elyounoussi.

Background

Born in Al Hoceima, Morocco, on 4 August 1994, Elyounoussi grew up in Norway and spent his formative years at the academy of Norwegian club Sarpsborg. He made his debut for the senior team in 2011 and went on to make 70 appearances for the club, in which he scored 18 times, notching up 11 assists.  

In 2014, Elyounoussi was signed by fellow Norwegian outfit Molde. In his debut season with the club, the attacker got his hands on the Norwegian league title and the domestic cup, after having scored 17 goals in 37 appearances. He bettered his returns in the following season, finishing with 19 goals in 41 games.  

In 2016, after 92 appearances for Molde, in which he had racked up 42 goals and 8 assists, Elyounoussi was signed by Swiss side FC Basel. He finished the 2016/17 campaign with 10 goals and 13 assists from 40 games, helping Basel accomplish a domestic league and cup double. In the ongoing season, the 23-year old has contributed 10 goals and 13 assists in 31 appearances in all competitions. 

Elyounoussi has represented the Norwegian national team at all age groups starting from the U-15s to the U-23s, before making his senior debut in January 2014. Since then, the winger has gone on to make 14 appearances for Norway, netting 4 times.

Style of Play

Primarily a winger by trade, Elyounoussi can also play as a central attacking midfielder and has also been used as an auxiliary forward at the top, on a few occasions. Predominantly right-footed, the 23-year old is at his best when starting out on the left flank and cutting in on to his stronger right side from the wings.  

A very good dribbler of the ball, the 23-year old possesses quick feet and is also a quick thinker which enables him to open up defences with his passing. As seen by his assists tally at Basel, the Norwegian international possesses a creative edge to his game and can also be a goal threat when he darts in from the left. Elyounoussi may not be the fastest wingers around but makes up for it with his skills on the ball and composure in front of goal.  

What does the future hold?

The 23-year old has demonstrated great abilities throughout his fledgeling career and his display against Manchester City earlier this week was further proof that Elyounoussi is a player with immense potential. However, given that he has a contract with Basel that runs until the summer of 2021, the Norwegian is likely to demand a steep price in the current market.