West Ham United may see him as a potential Lucas Paqueta replacement, but there are shades of Jarrod Bowen in the winger often labelled the natural heir to Manchester City icon Riyad Mahrez.
Positionally, certainly. Ilan Kebbal likes to pick up the ball wide right and drift infield onto his left peg, a la the West Ham United captain. But stylistically, too.
Take his glorious finish against Lyon in October’s 3-3 draw. One of seven Ligue 1 goals Kebbal has scored in 17 appearances for nouveau-riche Paris FC this season.
The four-time Algeria international squares up his marker, shifts the ball onto his trusty left foot, and bends a sublime strike into the top corner. He demonstrated that very same party piece against another French giant in Marseille.
If Jarrod Bowen leaves West Ham, who is your DREAM replacement? 🤔
Paris FC's Ilan Kebbal looks very impressive…
Add four assists to his tally, and only Marseille’s Mason Greenwood and Rennes striker Esteban Lepaul have provided more goal contributions on the other side of the Channel this season.
Now, Jarrod Bowen was something of a late-bloomer. The skipper was 25 when he first reached double figures for a league campaign. Kebbal is just three away from breaking the ten-goal mark himself, in what will be his 28th year on the planet.
Reporter Alan Nixon was the first to suggest that West Ham are looking at Ilan Kebbal amid claims, from club insider Sean Whetstone for instance, that Bowen would leave in the event of relegation.
Nixon indicates that Kebbal may be tasked with filling a Paqueta-shaped hole. But, coincidence or not, there may be more Bowen than there is Paqueta in the Prince of Paris FC.
Lucas Paqueta exit takes West Ham United in the direction of Paris FC’s Ilan Kebbal
Interestingly, Kebbal is not the only Bowen-esque talent to be mentioned this month.
Colombian football journalist Pipe Sierra believes that Girona’s ex-Watford winger Yaser Asprilla is a target, too. How much can be read into this remains to be seen.
But the cold hard facts are these; as much as Bowen loves West Ham – and as much as he would rather not get on the wrong side of Danny/Danni Dyer – an England international in his pomp will not want to spend one of those prime years in the Championship.
Bringing in Kebbal – who Nixon believes could be available for as little as £9 million – would certainly boost the Hammers’ hopes of avoiding a return to the second tier.
Kebbal has been in ‘exceptional’ form in Ligue 1 this season
With only six goals from 22 starts, even Bowen’s usually outstanding track record has taken a dip this term. Lucas Paqueta will be unavailable against Sunderland on Saturday, meanwhile, as the Brazil international pines for a Flamengo return.
Kebbal, in theory, could ease the goalscoring burden on Bowen’s shoulders while bringing the rabbit-out-of-the-hat magic Paqueta is taking back to the Maracana.
“He’s an atypical player, not to everyone’s taste, but with enormous talent” Paris FC coach Stephane Gili told the Ligue 1 website. “[Kebbal possesses] qualities he doesn’t even realise he has.
“His month of August was so exceptional [four of his 11 goal contributions came in the opening three matches] that you might think he’s slowed down, but he’s still delivering big performances.”
“It’s a joy to see him like this,” teammate Maxime Lopez said after another afternoon spent watching Kebbal skip and shimmy his way past bemused full-backs.
“Honestly, he’s among the best players in Ligue 1 right now.”
West Ham target idolises Manchester City great Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez, the five-time Premier League winner and arguably Algeria’s greatest-ever talent, announced his international retirement before the recent Africa Cup of Nations.
Kebbal, so often referred to as Mahrez’s heir apparent, is relishing the chance to step into his role model’s shoes.
Whether he can replace Mahrez in the Algeria attack, or Paqueta or Bowen in West Ham’s, is a question only he can answer.
“You get inspired by everything [Mahrez does]. He’s a player you’d pay to watch,” Kebbal tells Carre, while also reflecting on his recent transition from a number ten to a right-winger.
“Even though I’m a midfielder by trade and I’m just playing on the wing this season, I identify with him. You watch his step-overs, his moves… you just watch and appreciate.”
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