Lorient’s value finds: Noah Cadiou and Arsène Kouassi shine on modest wages | OneFootball

Promoted Lorient have struck gold with Noah Cadiou and Arsène Kouassi, two standouts delivering big impact for small salaries. According to L'Équipe, their arrivals from Ligue 2 last summer have come to symbolise the club’s success this season.

Kouassi, 22, a Burkina Faso wing-back with five caps and one goal, has started 24 of 25 Ligue 1 games, producing two goals and six assists. He averages 5.36 out of 10 and ranks only eighth on €45,000 gross per month.

Cadiou, 27, leads Lorient’s marks at 5.83 out of 10 after 13 starts in 21, with one goal and two assists. He earns €30,000 per month and sits outside the top 10, having joined from Rodez for €1 million on a four-year deal, while Kouassi cost €1.2 million from AC Ajaccio and is signed until June 2029.

Agent Ahmed Touma said Lorient’s financial offer was the lowest compared with Saint-Étienne, Brest and others, so the move hinged on the 3-4-2-1 where Kouassi could flourish. The fit with his counter-attacking power has made the choice worthwhile despite modest pay.

Director general Arnaud Tanguy framed it as club DNA, recalling Laurent Koscielny’s step up from Tours in 2009. Head coach Olivier Pantaloni is also overdelivering on an accessible €50,000 gross salary, while president Loïc Féry said last summer the club had refocused on unearthing talent and offering a platform, a plan embodied by Cadiou and Kouassi.

Source: L'Équipe