Takumi Minamino elected Ligue 1’s Player of the Month

AS Monaco playmaker Takumi Minamino (28) has been elected Ligue 1’s Player of the Month for his impressive start to the season, the UNFP – the French equivalent of the PFA – has announced.

The Japanese international beat competition the likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte and Montpellier’s Jordanian centre-forward Musa Al-Taamari to the first monthly individual accolade of the Ligue 1 season. Minamino is the first Japanese to be elected Ligue 1’s Player of the Month since Le Mans’ Daisuke Matsui in January 2006.

Minamino has taken Ligue 1 by storm this season. On the back of an underwhelming debut season in the French top flight, the former Liverpool man looks a player reborn under the guidance of Monaco head coach Adi Hütter. The Austrian manager, who previously coached Minamino at Red Bull Salzburg, fields the 28-year-old next to Russian midfielder Aleksander Galavin in a dual playmakers’ formation. Last month, Minamino logged four goal contributions in three Ligue 1 games. Monaco are currently top of the league. Les Monégasques will host bitter Riviera rivals OGC Nice on Friday.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval