New Inter signing Goeffrey Kondogbia has caused a lot of hype. A large group of Inter fans greeted the Frenchman yesterday at his presentation. It was a fantastic achievement from the club to beat the likes of Milan and Arsenal to sign Kondogbia. The player’s will proved decisive, and he will sign a five year contract with the club. Kondogbia has had a great career so far leading up to his big money move to Inter. We will now take a look at his road to the San Siro.
– Full Name: Geoffrey Kondogbia
– National Team: France
– Youth Clubs: Nandy (1999-2003), Sénart-Moissy (2003-2004), RC Lens (2004-2010)
– Professional Clubs: RC Lens (2010-2012), Sevilla (2012-2013), Monaco (2013-2015), Inter (2015-present)
– Nationality: French of Central African descent
– Left Footed
– Height: 188cm/6 ft 2 in
– Weight: 80kg
– Position: Central defensive midfielder
– Squad Number: 7
– Current Value: 30-35 million euros
– Current Contract: Expires June 30, 2020
– Current Salary: 4 million euros plus bonuses
– On a recent national team call up?: no
– On a regular starter for club?: yes
– Career senior club appearances/goals: 117/4
– Career national team appearances: 4
– Form in 2014/15 season, games/goals/assists: 30/2/1
– Successful tackles per match (Ligue 1): 3.1
– Successful tackles per match (Champions League): 4.1
– Interceptions per match (Ligue 1): 2.5
– Interceptions per match (Champions League): 1.6
– Pass completion rate (Ligue 1): 86.2%
– Pass completion rate (Champions League): 84.1% Playing Career (club)
Early Years (youth)
At an early age Geoffrey Kondogbia was seen as a fantastic talent. Te Frenchman started his youth career at Nandy at the age of 6. After 3 years with Nandy, the Nemours native joined Sénart-Moissy for a year, before settling in at RC Lens. The French side realized Kondogbia’s potential, and helped nurture his talent. On 11 April, 2010, Kondogbia signed his first professional contract with Lens for four years.
Professional Career Rc Lens (2010-2012)
On 21 November, 2010, Kondogbia made his first team debut against Olympique Lyonnais. Unfortunately, Lens were relegated to Ligue 2 in the 2010-2011 season. Although the team performed badly, young talent such as Raphael Varane and Kondogbia attracted interest from other European teams. The defender opted to move to Real Madrid, while Kondogbia decided to stay with Lens for another season. Although Lens did not achieve promotion in the following season, Kondogbia stood out above the rest. The midfielder made 35 appearances in total for the Northern French side, who helped harness his talent.
Sevilla (2012-2013)
After an impressive season with Lens in Ligue 2, Kondogbia joined Sevilla in the summer of 2012 for about 3 million euros. The Frenchman made his debut against Real Madird on September 15, 2012. After his performance against ‘Los Blancos,’ Kondogbia became a first team regular, and scored his first goal for the club in the 3-0 victory against local rivals Granada. Kondogbia went on to make 33 appearances for the Spanish side. While playing for Sevilla, the Lens youth product attracted a lot of interest from Inter and other top European clubs.
Monaco (2013-2015)
On the transfer deadline day of 2013, Monaco swooped for Kondogbia, and payed Sevilla 24 million euros for the player’s services. Kondogbia became part of Monaco’s massive spending spree in a bid to challenge for the Ligue 1 title. In his first season, Kondogbia racked up 26 appearances and scored 1 goal, as Monaco returned to the Champions League. The mood in the following campaign was different to the first. In the summer of 2014, Monaco sold two stars in Radamel Falcao, and James Rodruigez. The exodus proved to pay a big toll on Monaco, as they got off to a rocky start in the league. However, Kondogbia really stepped up for the Monte Carlo side, as they won their Champions League group. Geoffrey Kondogbia’s most famous performances was arguably in Monaco’s 3-1 victory away against Arsenal in the Champions League last 16. The Frenchman won numerous tackles, broke up Arsenal’s attacking play, provided a great physical presence, and even scored a long range goal. Kondogbia also impressed in Monaco’s tie against Juventus, and was a constant threat to the Bianconeri. Monaco finished the Ligue 1 season in third place, and Kondogbia played a protagonist role.
International career
Geoffrey Kondogbia has represented France from the Under 16 level to the senior team. Kondo was part of the Under 20 World Cup winning France team in 2013, and played a key role in the victory. Kondogbia scored 2 goals in the tournament, and earned a lot of praise. On 14 August, 2013, the midfielder made his senior debut against Belgium.
Transfer Saga/ Move to Inter (June 2015)
After a stellar 2014-2015 season with Monaco, Kondogbia became a target for many top European clubs. Arsenal, Milan, Real Madrid, and Inter all had concrete interest in the player. It seemed as if Kondogbia was set to join Milan, until Inter swooped in and closed the deal within 2 days. The transfer fee is believed to be around 35 million euros. Now, Kondogbia will sign his contract with Inter.
Playing Style
Geoffrey Kondogbia is a beast. The Frenchman provides an incredible physical presence on the pitch due to his stature. Kondo is an aerial threat from set pieces as well. The midfielder operates in a deep role, and he also possesses great technical ability. The Frenchman is a fantastic dribbler and passer of the ball. Kondogbia is a good shooter, and has the ability to generate great force on his strikes. On average, Kondogbia takes 1.1 shots per game. Overall, Kondogbia is a special player, and can still improve at the age of 22.
The Verdict
Geoffrey Kondogbia is a great player. Although many believe that the 30-35 million euro pricetag is too hefty, some may argue that Inter have got their ‘bang for their buck.’ Only time will tell. If Kondogbia performs as well as he has for Monaco, then he wil be worth all of the money. Keep in mind that Kondo is still young and can improve. Overall, Inter have themselves a world-class midfielder.
