Europe’s best footballers

Sébastien Haller, France's rising young striker

By Paul Burrowes
StatsPac

He is 21, French, and an attacking player for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands top-flight football, Eredivise.

Sébastien Haller has scored 21 goals from 35 matches so far in calendar year 2015, having secured a place as one of the top six marksmen in the Eredivise.
He has played for France at every level, from Under-16 through to Under-21, the 6ft-2in forward helping his country to finish runners-up in the UEFA Under-19 Championship in 2012-13 and also second in the World Youth Festival last year.
Haller has scored eight goals from 12 appearances in the Eredivise this season, trailing leader Luuk De Jong of PSV Eindhoven who has scored 11 goals.
The young Frenchman has taken 35 shots, 28 of which came from the penalty area.
In fact six of his eight goals were from the penalty area, and the others from the six yard box. More accurately, five of his goals were actually from the penalty spot.
Since his transfer from French Ligue 2 outfit Auxerre to Utrecht in 2014 for 800,000 Euros, Haller has picked up his game. He scored 11 goals from 17 appearances in his Eredivise debut last season.
His market value has risen to about 2.5 million Euros, buttressed by four braces and a four-timer in 2015 all for Utrecht. He was the club's player of the year last season.
A very experienced young forward, Haller has played in two UEFA Under-21 Championships, the UEFA Under-19 Championship and the UEFA Under-17 Championship. He scored in all of those.
He also played and scored in the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Mexico in 2011.
Haller has been linked to Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League and English Championship outfit Brentford, which made a 4.2 million pound bid.
Earlier this month, HITC Sport suggested that Aston Villa sign Haller in January, 2016 as he would be perfect for their 4-4-3 system.
According to HITC Sport, "Haller has proven himself as a perfect modern striker, who can not only lead the line in a physical battle, but also excel with the ball at his feet.
"His rate of winning aerial battles - 6.2 per game - would be the third highest in the Premier League if he could retain such a level after transferring.
Haller is yet to make his senior national team debut for France.