Losing Jean Michel Seri to Fulham over the summer was always going to be a tough pill to swallow for OGC Nice, but it could have been tougher had they not had Adrien Tameze. The 24-year-old has played a big role in replacing the Frenchman at the base of manager Patrick Vieira’s midfield three.
However, now the Daily Mail has reported that Tameze is attracting interest from the Premier League, with Watford, Burnley and now Cardiff City very interested in bringing him in the January transfer window. The Mirror further adds that the Bluebirds lead the race for the 24-year-old to reinforce their sides but can he save them?
The Cameroonian joined Nice in 2017 and spent most of the season playing second fiddle to Jean Michel Seri, but also at the same time learning everything he could for the talented 26-year-old in the process. Now with Seri’s departure, it allowed Tameze to step seamlessly into his role and the 24-year-old has flourished since then. A defensive midfielder by trade, Tameze’s main role is something to what Aron Gunnarsson does for Cardiff City at the moment.
The 24-year-old takes his duties of breaking up play seriously, winning more than his fair share of defensive duels in the process. Not only that, playing at the base of a midfield three makes him responsible for moving the play forward, and he does that with ease. However, if Bluebird fans are expecting Adrien Tameze to be their creative genius, then they should look elsewhere because that’s not his strength.
What is and this is what makes him a brilliant buy for the relegation-threatened side, is his passing range which he averages 89% so far in the Ligue 1 according to Whoscored. He’s more than capable in possession, more than which can be said about Gunnarsson and he should enjoy the Premier League’s aggressive nature.
That’s not something to be taken lightly, as few players enjoy the aggressiveness and the physical nature of English’s top tier, but Tameze’s agility combined with his aggression and stamina does make him a great buy. For Cardiff City, he emphasises everything they need, from a midfield target and his competitiveness.
Not to mention, for someone who has been valued around £8.5 million, the transfer fee itself makes Adrien Tameze a bargain for Cardiff City.
