Djeidi Gassama has earned the hearts of Sheffield Wednesday fans after a brilliant first season in English football.
Gassama joined the Owls last summer on a free transfer from boyhood club Paris Saint Germain, which is expected to be valued up to €1 million in the future.
He joined PSG as a 15-year-old in 2019 and was a prolific young player for the Parisian club, scoring 27 goals in 34 appearances for the U19s during the 2021/22 season.
His impressive form earned him a professional debut in a 4-0 win over Montpellier in May 2022, alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
The Mauritanian-born winger debuted for France U20 in September 2022, playing in two draws against Tunisia.
In the 2022/23 season, he joined KAS Eupen of the Belgian Pro League on loan, however he was frequently utilized as an impact player off the bench, scoring two goals and providing two assists in 20 games in his first full professional season.
Gassama then departed PSG permanently to join the Owls on a three-year contract in August 2023, bolstering their offensive ranks under previous manager Xisco Munoz.
A fantastic addition to Sheffield Wednesday.
Gassama, now 20, is in his early years as a player, and Wednesday has reaped the benefits of taking a chance on a young, unproven quantity in English football.
It was a sluggish start at Hillsborough under Xisco Munoz, as he appeared from the bench just three times in the first eight league games before being fired with the Owls winless and bottom of the Championship at the start of October.
Danny Rohl’s arrival at South Yorkshire resulted in almost immediate improvement in form, and Gassama has benefited from playing for a team that is confident and believes it can survive.
He provided his first assists in crucial wins over Stoke City and QPR in December, before scoring his first goal in blue and white in a 3-1 victory over Hull City on New Year’s Day.
His first Owls goal was a work of art, as he cut inside from the left and curled it past an unlucky Matt Ingram at the Kop End.
He has started twelve league games since the turn of the year, scoring two additional goals in crucial league victories over Plymouth Argyle and QPR as Wednesday strive to stay up after appearing destined for relegation before Rohl arrived.
As is the nature of football in 2024, EFL clubs must try to sell players for profit, particularly if they are not competing at the top of their respective leagues.
Wednesday signed Gassama on a free transfer, with potential bonuses of up to 1,000,000 and a 20% sell-on clause to PSG.
While many transfer choices will be based on the Owls’ ability to stay in the Championship for another season, there is little question that clubs throughout the UK will have been made aware of Gassama’s obvious quality and potential for improvement.
The French youth international is under contract at Hillsborough until 2026, giving Wednesday two summers to transfer him for a profit, and his price will only rise if his game improves and he emerges as a crucial player next season.
For the time being, Gassama’s attention will be firmly focused on the task at hand as Wednesday look to avoid relegation to League One under Danny Rohl’s leadership.
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