Likening young footballers to bonafide Premier League legends is always a risky game to play, but Mark Robson clearly feels West Ham United have got themselves a player befitting such lofty comparisons.
As West Ham agree to sign Monaco’s Soungoutou Magassa and close in on Mateus Fernandes – Southampton have reportedly accepted a £40 million bid – the future of the London Stadium midfield suddenly looks a little bit brighter.
Magassa and Fernandes are both 21 years of age, and look tailor-made for a club with less pace than a 100-metre race consisting only of snails and sloths.
And it may not be long before Mohamadou Kante, another rising star with huge potential at just 19, is completing a new-look midfield selection in claret and blue.
Mark Robson, West Ham United’s Under-21 boss, described the former Paris FC starlet as ‘a Patrick Vieira kind of central midfield player’ earlier this month.
Kante may share a surname with another French legend – there are certain traits he shares in common with N’Golo too, by the way – but it was the former Arsenal captain who occupied Robson’s thoughts when watching the teenager snatch back possession, race through and score during a 2-0 victory over Woking.
Mohamadou Kante and Nayef Aguerd training during the Premier League Summer Series AFC Bournemouth vs West Ham United
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mohamadou Kante reflects on West Ham United start amid Patrick Vieira comparison
West Ham signed Kante during the summer of 2024, loaning him back to Paris FC for one final season in the French capital.
And, after helping Paris Saint-Germain’s next-door neighbours secure a return to Ligue 1 after nearly 50 years away, Kante is now making a very positive impression on the other side of the Channel.
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“To be honest, it’s been really good here,” Kante tells the club’s official website. “My arrival has gone very smoothly, without problems, so I’m feeling good. Everyone has made sure I feel welcome and feel at home.
“I was very happy to learn that I was part of [Graham Potter’s] squad for both of the first team’s pre-season training camps. You can tell physically, it’s obviously a step up from Ligue 2, but I felt good.
“Day after day, I felt my level getting higher, both technically and physically, just by playing with and watching the other pros.
“It takes time to adapt, but I feel like I did that well during pre-season and now I’m ready to take on the challenge of English football.”
Kante sets his target while hoping to impress Graham Potter
In truth, Mohamadou Kante is a profile West Ham have needed for quite a while in the centre of the park. A la Vieira, he is highly-mobile, extremely-athletic, and very positive with the ball at his feet. When bursting through the Woking backline recently, it was difficult not to notice that he almost appeared twice the size of the footballers around him.
He also scored a late consolation during West Ham’s 3-1 defeat by reigning Premier League 2 champions Manchester City a few days ago. One step closer to matching his pre-season ambition of ten goals and ten assists at Under-21 level.
“For those who don’t know me, I would say I’m a physical player. Someone who keeps running,” says Kante, who speaks ‘basic’ English but converses in French with the likes of Alphonse Areola and Malick Diouf.
“I like to create chances, but I also enjoy the defensive side. My goal this season is to go all-out. For me, that means scoring as many goals as possible for the Under-21s. If I had to set a number, I’d say at least ten goals and ten assists.
“And of course, I want to play as many matches as possible, whether that’s with the Under-21s or the first team.
“I’d love to make some matchday squads with the first-team and hopefully be on the bench. Long-term, the ambition is to establish myself there permanently. But for now, I’m focused on taking everything in, making the most of every opportunity, and repaying the faith the club has shown in me.”