France expert on HSV coup: why Adeline suits Polzin perfectly! | OneFootball

When HSV officially announced the signing of Martin Adeline on Monday evening, one number in particular caused a major stir: four.

After all, Hamburg paid ES Troyes AC just four million euros in transfer fee for the Frenchman. For a club in only its second Bundesliga season, that initially sounds like a hefty investment. But if you look at the 22-year-old’s development, the deal seems like an absolute bargain. Adeline’s market value is now estimated at around ten million euros. But who is the player expected to inject life into HSV’s attack in the future?

The late breakthrough

Adeline’s career has been anything but straightforward so far. He was developed at the prestigious youth academy of French serial champions Paris Saint-Germain. In the summer of 2020, he moved to Stade Reims and made his Ligue 1 debut there at just 18 years old. After an initial breakthrough failed to materialize, loan spells at Rodez and Annecy followed. It was only at Troyes, however, that the 13-time French youth international truly unlocked his full potential.

Last season, Adeline was one of the key pieces in the Champenois’ promotion-winning team. With ten goals and ten assists in 36 competitive matches, he became the second-highest scorer in all of Ligue 2. But Adeline offers far more than just an impressive stat sheet. “He is a very versatile player whose profile is rather unusual and not necessarily easy to define,” says podcaster and sports journalist Jakob Haffke, who knows French football inside out. “I’d describe him as a modern playmaker who doesn’t rely solely on his qualities with the ball at his feet.”

In fact, Adeline can hardly be boxed into a classic role. He can play as a No. 10, operate in the half-spaces and on either wing, or even be deployed a little deeper in midfield. His greatest strength is not spectacular dribbling or flashy tricks, but his football intelligence.

A creative player with a worker’s mentality

The numbers back that up: Adeline created 62 chances last season, the second-best total in the league. He also produced 12 big chances, again ranking second in that category. His ten assists were the best mark in the entire league.

But to be fair, his expected assists value was “only” 5.4, which suggests his teammates were particularly efficient with the chances he created. Still, the data impressively shows how regularly Adeline is able to conjure up dangerous attacking situations. At the same time, the right-footer stands out from many traditional creative players when it comes to defensive work. “What shouldn’t be underestimated is his work rate and his willingness to serve the team even when out of possession,” Haffke explains.

Photo: IMAGO

In fact, among Ligue 2 midfielders, Adeline ranked near the top in almost every defensive statistic. Whether it was ball recoveries, interceptions, duels won, or regaining possession in the final third, HSV’s new signing posted top numbers across the board.

That makes him an almost perfect fit for the profile Merlin Polzin is looking for in his team. HSV already defined itself heavily through intensity and work out of possession in its first Bundesliga season. That is unlikely to change too much for now. Sporting director Kathleen Krüger summed it up perfectly when announcing the transfer: “Martin is a selfless team player who works extremely hard for the collective on the pitch.”

Why HSV were convinced

It is therefore hardly surprising that Hamburg pursued Adeline so intensely. The northern club had been tracking the Frenchman for months. Head scout Sebastian Dirscherl had him watched live several times, and HSV are said to have scouted him around 20 times in total. When the opportunity finally arose to sign the playmaker despite his sharply increased market value, the decision-makers moved quickly.

Adeline himself was also very keen on the move. “The talks with HSV gave me a very good feeling from the start,” he said after signing. Alongside the sporting project, the atmosphere around the club also played an important role. “In France, I only know one stadium as beautiful as this one: the Stade Vélodrome, where Olympique Marseille play,” he said about the setting at the Volksparkstadion, which he has so far only seen in videos.

Where are the risks?

Despite all the early praise, Adeline is of course not a finished product. “Probably his biggest weakness is that he can sometimes be a little too active without the ball and therefore gets played through fairly often,” Haffke analyzes. He also says the Frenchman is not especially robust physically and, because of his risk-taking style, regularly loses possession. That is likely to be punished more severely in the Bundesliga than it was in France’s second division.

At the same time, that willingness to take risks is a fundamental part of his game. Creative players need to be allowed to make mistakes in order to produce special moments.

Photo: IMAGO

More than just a footballer

Off the pitch, Adeline describes himself as a curious person. He is interested in culture, enjoys visiting exhibitions, and travels a lot. By his own account, this openness is largely thanks to his mother, who introduced him to different countries and cultures from an early age.

He also made one or two interesting remarks when talking about his role models. “I take a lot from Kylian Mbappé in terms of personality,” Adeline said. His footballing idol, however, remains Lionel Messi. Yet another comparison stands out even more: “When we score a goal, I get very emotional and sometimes can’t control myself anymore, like Thomas Müller.”

Immediate help rather than a long-term project?

With all possible parallels aside, the most exciting question is naturally this: how quickly can the playmaker have a positive impact on HSV’s game? “In principle, I think Adeline will be more of an immediate help,” Haffke says optimistically. “Despite his young age, he has already seen quite a lot at senior level. HSV also already have a few French-speaking players in the squad, which can certainly help with his integration. On top of that, because of his versatile profile, he is the kind of player who can work his way into a team and unfamiliar circumstances.” His qualities out of possession in particular would make him “predestined for a good role under Merlin Polzin.”

Another plus point: Adeline can take part in almost all of pre-season with HSV. Because of the early timing of his signing, he has nearly seven weeks to make his case for the Bundesliga opener at Borussia Dortmund (August 29, 6:30 p.m.). But the newcomer could already fulfill his dream of debuting at the Volksparkstadion on August 1. That is when HSV face Everton as part of the Volkspark Festival. Against the English traditional club, Adeline will want to give the Hanseatic supporters a first taste of his qualities.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.