OPINION
In the breathless closing exchanges of the transfer window, Newcastle United’s capture of Ludwig Francillette may have slipped info the radar for a fair few people.
The 20-year-old Frenchman will hoping up with Neil Redfearn’s U23 side this season after taking an unconventional route to the Premier League club.
Just 12 months ago Francillette was in the reserve team at AS Quetigny Football – a regional French league club that plays on the outskirts of Dijon in the sixth tier the country’s football pyramid.
Speaking to the Chronicle, the director of that club, Alexandre Lebrerogovitz, put into perspective just how much of leap the youngster has made.
He said: “It’s a fairytale.
“Ludwig has just shown us that you always believe in your dreams and that nothing is impossible, especially in the world of football.”
Evidently, it is a special move for the player, but it could also prove to be a very valuable one for the Toon Army too, in terms of setting a precedent for conducting their business.
Francillette came to get his shot in England after being taken on by the Detection Foot France-UK agency, designed to give players who have slipped through the cracks in France a change in the British game.
Of course, it might not work out for the Frenchman, but if he can make a success of himself, then who’s to say that the Magpies won’t go back for more. Young, cheap players with plenty of potential are always going to prove popular and savvy acquisitions, and this could be the first step in a new blueprint for the Toon Army’s dealings on the continent.
