What makes Samuel Kalu so great? Sport247.ng’s Ademetan Abayomi takes a closer look at the Nigerian youngster.
The Nigerian international has been amassing interest for years and not without just cause.
He finally made a move to Bordeaux from KAA Gent to continue his progression this Summer.
So how has he deserved his reputation as one of the most promising youngsters Europe.
One word, creativity. Every now and then, you see a player that just has a certain flair and creativity. This enables them to create chances out of nothing and makes them hard to predict. Kalu is one of these players.
Playing as a winger at Bordeaux, Kalu has the ability to change a game. When he’s in the attacking third, it just takes one unexpected flick And there’s someone breaking through the back four or unmarked in space. He excels at surprising opponents like this with his unorthodox and sometimes risky passing.
On the ball, he always seems to know what he’s doing. As he’s coming forward, expect to see him with his head down going exactly where he wants. When defenders are in his way, he finds a way past them to get there. Though far from a very physical presence, he seems to just get through players; more dancing past than using strength. Through this he often finds space, and that’s when the opposition are really in trouble.
Kalu has proven that he can strike well time after time. He can’t be allowed too much room around the edge of the box because if he opts to shoot, he’ll hit it with pace but he always places it well. He performed such stunt with his sweet curler against Libya on Saturday.
One of his traits that make him such a danger is his ability to place his shots from anywhere. You don’t want to let him cut in or get an inch away from you, as many defenders in the Ligue 1 will tell you.
