According to a recent report by Daily Mail, Barnsley are understood to have agreed to sign Harrison Manzala from Amiens this month for around £800,000 to strengthen their side further. The report suggests that Manzala is set to sign a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Tykes and is due to have his medical on Friday.
Barnsley are living dangerously on the edge of the relegation zone, with a breathing space of merely a couple of points. They have collected just 27 points from their 28 league encounters until this point of time and are placed at the 19th spot in the league table. The Reds are desperate to bring reinforcements in order to garner a respectable finish in the league standings and stay far away from the drop-out zone.
This month, Paul Heckingbottom has already lured Kieffer Moore and Daniel Pinillos to the Oakwell from Ipswich Town and Cordoba, respectively, and is still pretty much active in the market. Their apparent interest to make Manzala sign on the dotted line does make a lot of sense, for he has the potential to be a quality addition to the club.
The 23-year-old spent his youth career with Le Havre and then steadily made his way to Le Havre’s B side. He was eventually promoted to the senior side of the French outfit and his dazzling displays prompted Amiens to sign him in the summer of 2016. So far this season, the midfielder has scored 2 goals and notched up 2 assists in 22 Ligue 1 appearances and his versatility has caught the eye of a few clubs.
Manzala can ply his trade effectively from anywhere in the midfield and his pace and exuberance makes him a decent winger as well. He is strong, industrious and looks keen to push the side forward more often than not. It is always spectacular to see midfielders finding the back of the net and aiding their side in creating chances and the Congolese certainly ticks this box with relative ease.
However, fingers have been pointed at his crossing ability and his passing qualities and he certainly needs to brush himself up further if he is desirous to excel in England. His lack of experience of English football implies that Heckingbottom would involve himself in quite a bit of risk by introducing Manzala to an unfamiliar territory and only time will tell whether he succeeds or not.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored