The new Ribéry of the Bundesliga?
“Good point!” Hofmann successor approaching?
Borussia Mönchengladbach sign Franck Honorat from France. The offensive player is following in big footsteps, but the experts believe he is capable of a lot.
Franck Honorat has wanted to play in the Bundesliga for several months – now his dream has come true.
A year ago, the Frenchman had already informed his club Stade Brest of his wish several times. Even then, those responsible at Borussia Mönchengladbach were digging hard on him.
Honorat even went on strike for a few days and didn’t show up for several training sessions – but the club bosses remained firm.
Born in Toulon, the southern Frenchman eventually had to reconcile himself with the idea of spending a third season in Brittany. Despite this bitter disappointment, he immediately went full throttle again for the Brestois, who played a strong second half of the season and never had anything to do with the relegation battle.
This summer, those in charge of the traditional French club didn’t want to put any more obstacles in his way, although coach Eric Roy would have preferred to keep him for at least a year.
Honorat’s farewell on the homepage was brief and concise with five lines and a greeting: “Bon vent Franck” (“All the best, Franck”).
Honorat: Memories of Franck Ribéry
“It suits him wonderfully that Franck is continuing his career in the Bundesliga. He’s wanted to move there for a long time,” says his former colleague Romain Hamouma, who played with him at AS Saint-Étienne between 2018 and 2020, to SPORT1. “He’s quick, tricky, always looking for one-on-one situations, with the determination to assert himself. He doesn’t shy away from duels, also because he’s physically strong.”
Honorat is not only reminiscent of the great Franck Ribéry with his first name, who had enchanted the Bundesliga for twelve years in Bayern dress.
When the transfer was officially announced on Tuesday, Honorat was relieved. “Franck can now fully focus on his new adventure. He will establish himself in the Bundesliga, even if he will certainly need a few weeks to get used to it,” said Hamouma. “After all, it’s his very first station abroad.”
Borussia Mönchengladbach will be the seventh club in Honorat’s career – albeit the first outside of France. Most observers in his home country believe that he will quickly meet the expectations on the Lower Rhine.
Why Honorat has what it takes for Gladbach
“I don’t see why Franck shouldn’t assert himself in Mönchengladbach,” says Christophe Hérelle, who has played with Honorat in Brest since 2020. “He has great potential and his profile should fit in really well with the German league. I believe that the supporters in Borussia Park will have a lot of fun with him.”
Claude Puel, who trained the new-Borussian in both Saint-Étienne and Nice, has no concerns either. “I’m not surprised that a big club like Gladbach has wanted to sign Franck for a long time. It has steadily evolved over the past few years. Franck listened carefully when I told him that he should look for his degree more often and not just think about the team. Now he is mature enough to make the big leap.”
It looks like a new Franck could rock the Bundesliga four years after Ribéry’s departure.
2023-07-14 19:46:00
#Ribéry #Bundesliga
