Zeze: Admired by Euro giants, France talent is thriving at NEOM SC | OneFootball

In what has largely been a debut season of adaption for NEOM Sports Club, the emergence of talented French youngster Nathan Zeze has been one of undoubted bright spots.

Much was expected last summer of the newly promoted club ahead of their first campaign in the Roshn Saudi League, that anticipation founded on the back of a hugely exciting recruitment drive.

Keen to make a mark on the Saudi Arabian top flight, NEOM SC sought an obvious balance: they endeavoured to add both youthful potential and hardened experience.

In Zeze, a defender once dubbed the “next William Saliba” and reportedly courted by clubs such as Liverpool as he emerged as one of France’s most promising products, they have certainly delivered on the former.

Still a few months shy of his 21st birthday, Zeze's performances have spoken volumes. Featuring in 26 of his side's 29 RSL matches, and boasting the second-most minutes of any outfield player (2,340), it's underlined why the Tabuk-based club invested so heavily in the former Nantes centre-back.

Some of Zeze’s numbers could, of course, be viewed a double-edged sword. Take, for example, his 149 clearances, which rank him third in the entire 2025-26 RSL and No.1 at NEOM SC. In fact, only league champion - and captain - Ahmed Hegazi has managed triple figures, coming in at 127.

While an illustration of Zeze’s terrific personal form, it’s also an indicator of the number of opportunities that Christophe Galtier’s team concedes. It’s no surprise that the others inside the season's top 10, outside of his teammate Hegazi, all represent sides in the bottom half of the table.

With five full rounds remaining, NEOM SC sit eighth, seven points off Al Taawoun in fifth.

More positively, Zeze ranks inside the top 10 in the league this term for passes (1,451), which demonstrates how important he is both going forward and in kick-starting moves. As does Zeze’s 12 chances created, while he has also scored two goals.

It hasn’t always been easy, but now firmly established in the RSL, Zeze is convinced the squad has all the ingredients to challenge at the top of the table.

NEOM SC's historic debut RSL campaign is overseen by Frenchman Christophe Galtier

“We're currently eighth and we dropped some pretty silly points,” he said in a recent interview with Foot Mercato. “Next year, we'll try to aim for the top five in the league because we're capable of it. "If we bring in two or three more players, we can achieve some great things.”

For many, Zeze appeared destined for great things himself. Prior to the RSL move, he had apparently drawn strong interest from the likes of Inter Milan, Villarreal and Bournemouth.

Up against the likes of compatriot Kingsley Coman, Nathan Zeze is gaining big-game experience in the RSL

Yet he decided instead to join the growing band of young talents looking to the Kingdom to develop their game, even directly at NEOM SC as thy recruited Saimon Bouabre - the enterprising midfielder has since departed for Al Hilal - and Amadou Kone.

The appeal of working at NEOM SC under fellow Frenchman Galtier, and alongside so many other French and French-speaking players, was surely part of the attraction, too.

From there, the thinking was to surround the incoming Zeze and Co with veterans they could lean on to hone their talent. And, even if it remains a work in progress, NEOM SC are clearly aiming to find the right balance between the two generations that should, eventually, spark on-field success.

It’s why Zeze refers to Lacazette, the former Olympique Lyon and Arsenal striker, as "a bit like an uncle". Advice is sought; actions, be it in competition or simply around the club, are followed.

“They're veterans, they've played for big clubs, big Premier League clubs, and so on,” Zeze said of those who share a dressing room who have seen, and done, a lot in the pro game.

“It's a relationship where they push us, they give us advice and so forth. We bring the carefree attitude of youth, which creates a good balance. It allows us to work well, and we have great team cohesion. Everything's going well, so it's fantastic."