Why Ryan Sessegnon Would Go On To Become The Next Gareth Bale
Somewhere in the beginning of the 2007-08 season, Tottenham visited Stoke City in what seemed a routine Premier League affair. However, the game turned on its head when a teenage left-back scored a goal of acrobatic brilliance. Coming in from the left, he volleyed a ball halfway across his body straight into the right-top corner of the goal and turned around to celebrate with his teammate. That player was Gareth Bale.
Bale went on to win individual honours at the club before heading to one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid, and winning three Champions Leagues thereafter and converting into a full-fledged forward.
One another player who is showing signs of going down the same trajectory of late is Ryan Sessegnon. For the uninitiated, Sessegnon is Fulham’s new wonderkid. He is 17, plays at left-back and most importantly, has 12 goals for the club!
Why the hype?
Born in 2000, Sessegnon went on to prove his talent for Fulham, having been snapped up by them at the age of just 8. By 16, he was a starter for the club and his talent was further compounded with his first goal just 11 days after making his debut.
Since then, he has gone into overdrive, scoring 12 goals this season and also being touted as having the potential to go on and become one of the greatest left-backs in the game.
All the major English clubs are behind him – the likes of Manchester City, United and Liverpool have the player on their radar and he could find himself starting regularly soon. Someone who is still in his teenage, he has registered an incredible 21 goals in his entire career.
Versatile player with lethal finishing ability
Though a left-back by trade, Sessegnon has shown that he can make the upgrade to a more forward-based role with ease. His ability to create havoc in the opposition defences means that he has also been pushed up to the flanks to increase his goalscoring numbers.
He also has an excellent conversion rate that is on par with some of the best in the game at the moment. Another great asset he has to his advantage is his excellent temperament.
This summer is the time where Sessegnon must head over to the big boys and upgrade his game to the next level and moving to the Premier League is the way.
One more good season at the very top will mean that he might just demand a world-record fee and continue his footsteps to the top, just like a certain Gareth Bale.