Formed by Hammers supporters Jack Elderton and Callum Goodall to offer their fellow fans in-depth but accessible analysis of their team and its players, Analytics United provide content for the Club's official website, app, Official Programme and social media channels.
Today, Analytics United use performance analysis and data to examine the contribution Soungoutou Magassa could make to West Ham United...
West Ham United have confirmed the signing of 21-year-old midfielder Soungoutou Magassa from Monaco, adding his outstanding physical and technical qualities to a midfield department to complement the already established skills of seasoned Premier League stars Tomáš Souček, James Ward-Prowse and Lucas Paquetá.
Having come through the Monaco Academy, going on to appear in 42 Ligue 1 games, Magassa has impressed thanks to his positional flexibility, ball-winning ability and quality in possession. Starting out in Ligue 1 as a wide-centre-back in Adi Hütter’s 3-4-3 formation, Magassa stood out for his progressive quality more than anything else in this position. In the 2023/24 season, the Frenchman recorded 6.15 progressive passes per 90, ranking ahead of new Bournemouth signing Bafodé Diakité (5.05), Manchester United centre-back Leny Yoro (2.29) and fellow French Hammer Jean-Clair Todibo (5.9) that season.
What was also immediately clear in this position was Magassa’s willingness to proactively enter duels as he recorded 3.74 tackles per 90, not just the most amongst Ligue 1 centre-backs but the second most of players in all positions, only beaten by Manchester United’s Manuel Ugarte (4.56). This ran alongside 1.14 passes blocked per 90 (top 2% amongst centre-backs) and an adventurousness with the ball captured in his 1.07 take-ons attempted per 90 (top 11%).
With his combined talents on and off the ball it was no surprise to see Magassa move forward into midfield last season with Monaco as Hütter changed formation from 3-4-3 to 4-2-3-1. With just two spots available in the starting XI, it proved harder for the youngster to get into the side ahead of captain, Denis Zakaria, and Senegalese superstar Lamine Camara. Despite such talented competition, Magassa was able to make his Champions League debut, playing the full 90 against Bologna, the first half against Arsenal and the second half against eventual finalists Inter in the league phase.
The fierce competition in midfield didn’t affect Magassa’s ability to make a big impact in his strongest areas though with Hütter starting him in both big games against Ligue 1 champions, PSG. This is of course because Magassa only doubled down on those previously exhibited ball-winning qualities when allowed to move forward into the midfield. Last season, he recorded an incredible 7.89 ball recoveries per 90, ranking outright first in France. For context, this number ranks ahead of the Premier League’s top loose-ball-recoverer from last season in Ryan Christie (7.74 per 90) and ahead of West Ham’s squad leader, Lucas Paquetá (5.64). When combining this talent for mopping up in midfield with an outstanding 5.97 combined tackles and interceptions per 90, also ranking top amongst midfielders in France, it’s clear to see why Magassa was picked for those games where his defensive attributes were at their most important.
The defensive data continues to stun when considering that Magassa’s 1.84 interceptions per 90 alone also ranked third amongst Ligue 1 midfielders to play more than ten full games, whilst his 1.4 blocks and 1.67 clearances per 90 both ranked inside the top 26%. Defending isn’t all that Magassa does though. As previously illustrated when talking about his time back at centre-back, Magassa is also an exceptionally progressively skilled player. Given that it is easier to do this from defence, where the entire game is ahead of you, it would be understandable if there was a significant drop-off in Magassa’s ability to progress play when moving forwards into the midfield, but the Frenchman continues to impress in this department as well.
Often playing at the base of Monaco’s midfield, Magassa racked up a whopping 239.8 yards progressed via pass per 90 last season, sitting inside the top 19% of Ligue 1 midfielders. Exploring this data further reveals a group of midfielders all ranking similarly for progressive distance gained via pass, a group that includes Lille’s former Barcelona and Everton midfielder André Gomes (245.8), former Bayern and French international Corentin Tolisso (232.4), and Strasbourg’s on-loan Chelsea player and Brazil international, Andrey Santos (247.9).
When we think about the qualities these players bring and their careers, which have contained extensive minutes in more advanced positions as attacking number eights, Magassa’s standing as a special young talent becomes clear. Compare him amongst similarly progressive players in France and the former Monaco midfielder is miles away from his peers for simultaneous defensive contribution. Andrey Santos is the closest with 3.4 fewer combined tackles, interceptions and recoveries per 90 but Gomes and Tolisso fall well below Magassa’s 13.85 per 90 figure with 8.8 and 8 respectively.
Another key strength to highlight is Magassa’s comfort under pressure, a vitally important quality for any player featuring as the deepest player in midfield when expected to receive passes from the centre-backs or the goalkeeper with their back to goal. Magassa excels here as his coolness leads to him easily rolling away from pressure, sometimes feinting to draw the pressing player to the wrong side before driving away in the opposite direction. This is something we can capture in the data through Magassa’s take-on completion percentage, where he ranked in the top 9% amongst midfielders in France with 65.2% success.
Putting all of these qualities together, we can build a picture of a player that is not just a significant outlier in terms of defensive contribution but also an above-average deep-receiver and progressor of play. Adding even more positive notes with high numbers of through balls and passes to the final third, there is a sense that there may be further untapped potential when pushing Magassa higher up the pitch, something that could be unlocked in a more rotational midfield three as players with greater flexibility across roles arrive. Factoring all of this alongside his accomplished performances as a wide-centre-back, another key role in the system currently being deployed by Graham Potter in east London, and Magassa stands out, not just as one of the best under-21 midfielders in European football but as a perfect fit for West Ham’s midfield this season.
*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Analytics United and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of West Ham United.
