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20-year-old David Datro Fofana is set to become the first Ivorian striker at Chelsea since Didier Drogba but can he emulate his legendary compatriot at Stamford Bridge?
Chelsea are reportedly close to completing the signing of David Datro Fofana from Molde for €12 million which will become official at the start of the 2022 January transfer window.
The Ivory Coast international has only just turned 20 and should be available to play for the Blues in 2023 after successfully completing his medical and registering with the FA.
But very few people are familiar with the young striker and his style of play as he aims to achieve success at his dream club much like the last Ivorian striker to play for the Chelsea first team, Didier Drogba.
Who is David Datro Fofana?
David Datro Fofana was born on December 22, 2002, in Ouragahio, Ivory Coast and had lived and played football in his home country up until February 2021 when he joined Norwegian club, Molde FK.
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Since then he has managed 24 goals and 10 assists in 65 games for Molde, his first European club and has shown some serious signs of promise, earning him comparisons to another Molde alumni, Erling Haaland.
The €12 million move to Chelsea will set a record as the most expensive transfer out of the Norwegian league, Haaland’s move from Molde to Salzburg in 2019 cost €8 million.
The comparisons to Haaland stem from the fact that they both spent their teenage years scoring for Molde, the Norwegian scored 20 goals and added 6 assists in 50 games for Molde, just over a goal contribution every other game, the same as Fofana’s current average.
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Fofana welcomes the Haaland comparisons and even moved into the apartment once occupied by Haaland, describing it as “symbolic."
He famously said in an interview on following Haaland’s footsteps, "You say to yourself, 'We started at the same place'. Tomorrow, I will be like him. What a player."
Much like Haaland, Fofana’s time at Molde has led to him being viewed as a wonderkid and some might even argue that his ceiling is higher than Haaland’s because of his unique style of play.
David Datro Fofana’s style of play
No one describes Fofana’s style of play better than the man himself, "I was shaped in the streets. I'm not like the others, not educated. I am not a product of the academies, everything comes from the streets. Street football has a bit of everything: technique, physicality and finishing because you play with tiny goals. You have to be very accurate to score."
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Everything Fofana said here is reflected in his football style, standing at five foot, 11 inches tall with a bulky frame, he could be mistaken for a target man like his famous compatriot, Didier Drogba but Datro is a lot more.
He adds ridiculous pace and skill to his game which makes him a more diverse threat than either Haaland or Drogba were at 20 years old.
Fofana is not afraid to test the goalkeeper whenever he finds himself in a pocket of space and has a powerful right foot, though he is also decent with his weaker left, making him proficient on either wing.
The one obvious downside to his game as a centre-forward is his positioning which could use a bit of work as he’s often out of the danger areas especially when he starts attacks from deep, similar to Brazilian striker, Gabriel Jesus in that regard.
Is Fofana a Drogba regen?
Fofana is excellent at holding the ball up and buying time for his teammates to get forward, which should hold him in good stead to cope with the rigours of Premier League football, does that remind you of anyone yet?
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Of course, being a striker from, Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba is a massive influence on Fofana’s life and the protege has never been hesitant to acknowledge that.
"Chelsea have been my favourite club since I was little,” Fofana had said in the past, speaking to Norwegian outlet TV2.
“Drogba played there, so they have always been my club. So it’s my dream," Fofana said, admitting the effect of Drogba as a role model and how it has shaped his life so far.
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Unlike most people, Fofana is now being presented with an opportunity to fulfil his dream by playing for his favourite club where his role model also played.
Only time will tell if Fofana can continue his career on the Erling Haaland trajectory or live up to Drogba’s massive legacy at Stamford Bridge but one thing is certain, he will have 27 million Ivorians cheering his every Premier League kick in blue once the move is confirmed.
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