N'Golo Kanté's rise to prominence is one of the most exciting stories in recent memory. He went from a nobody to a world champion in just a few short years.
The next player tipped to follow in Kanté's footsteps is 25-year-old Angers midfielder Baptiste Santamaria, whose playing style has led to comparisons with the Leicester and Chelsea legend.
The Express claim that Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City and Everton are all keen on Santamaria as they look for the next big bargain out of France.
Here's everything you need to know about the midfielder.
He Looks Nothing Like Kanté
Upon first glance, comparisons to Kanté are a little bizarre. While the Chelsea man is a diminutive presence, Santamaria is tall and powerful.
He's more of an aerial threat and is a dominant force when it comes to heading the ball, which cannot be said of Kanté, but they're the only real issues with this comparison.
Right, now that's out of the way...
But He Does Play Like Him
Anyone who has seen Santamaria play will wax lyrical about his stamina and consistency. The level of performance which he has managed to maintain for the last few years is almost unheard of, and that's why Kanté's name has been thrown about.
Before Ligue 1 was suspended, Santamaria had covered the most ground of any other player in the division and has also played the most Ligue 1 games since 2016, having avoided injuries, suspension or dips in form.
Midfield Is Not His Natural Position
Santamaria plays like someone who has spent years perfecting his craft, but that's far from the case. In fact, before he joined Angers in 2016, he was actually an attacking midfielder.
The Frenchman was a creative forward who was often seen on the wing during his time with Ligue 2's Tours, but he confessed to Konbini Sports that he only dropped deeper because Angers boss
He Doesn't Fit in With the 'Modern Footballer' Stereotype
Premier League footballers often come with a (sometimes deserved) reputation for being more bothered about partying and spending their wages, but not Santamaria.
He told Angers' official website:
He's Weirdly Into Goatees
#LeBoucDeSanta 朗
— Baptiste Santamaria (@BaptSantamaria) April 2, 2020
Salut les amis !
Aujourd’hui, je voudrais rendre hommage au bouc, style de barbe trop souvent délaissé 浪
Alors sortez votre rasoir, taillez votre plus beau bouc et postez votre photo
Amusez vous bien !
Conditions à retrouver ci-dessous ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kFqoAM3kVG
Santamaria is a keen racehorse owner, but another of his greatest loves is the goatee - a seemingly underrated facial hairstyle.
He set off a Twitter challenge asking everyone to show him their best goatee, including strict rules on how to participate. I mean, why not?
He even offered a prize to the person with the best goatee, which is totally normal. Get your entries in, folks.
His Performances Have Earned Him Plenty of Suitors
If Santamaria does leave Angers as expected, he will have no shortage of potential suitors. Teams across the continent have been tracking him ever since he realised he could hang as a defensive midfielder.
Tottenham, Leicester and Everton are some of the most high-profile names in the race for his signature, but there's also interest from Napoli, Sevilla, Fiorentina and Villarreal - all of whom want to give Santamaria the platform to impress at the next level.
Aston Villa even failed with a €10m (around £8.8m) bid for him last summer, with Angers holding out for a better offer.
Angers Are Ready to Sell
Having lost
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Source : 90min