‘I’d advise any young player to come here!’

His coach, Will Still:

“Will is a very young manager and when I arrived here he was still just the assistant. But when Oscar Garcia left, he became the coach, and he’s taken on that role with such ease. He’s shown such serenity, as if he’d been doing it all his life. He’s behind me every day and I know I can’t rest and I always have to keep the same intensity. He really encourages me not to slack off. He thinks he sees potential in me and he wants me to fulfil it. So he just wants me to be relentless and as efficient as possible. I couldn’t have hoped for more when I came to Reims. He’s fantastic with all the players!”

First match:

“I remember when I first came here and played. I made my debut against OM [4-1 defeat], and the atmosphere there was crazy! The Orange Velodrome was really something I’d never experienced before. It was like walking into a zombie apocalypse [laughs]. I’ve played in hostile stadiums in England, but Marseille was definitely a crazy match for me.”

First goal:

“As an attacking player, the quicker you can score that first goal [which came against OM in his first match], the easier life becomes. On the other hand, the longer it takes, the more the pressure starts to build and you start to hear things. So you wonder when it’s going to happen, and if it’s going to happen. At that point, you run the risk of trying too hard to score it. So to get it on my first appearance and debut was really positive for me.”

Best moment:

“So it only came to mind after the game [vs PSG]. When I got home, I got a text from one of my friends and he said, ‘You realise that’s probably the biggest goal you’ve scored in your career so far?’ and I thought, ‘Well, maybe it is!’. I always try to stay focused until the very end. And then, in added time, there was a long ball and we won the second ball, a point that Will has been insisting on from the start with the midfielders. Fortunately, Kamory [Doumbia] was able to get forward and the rest is history. When I found myself up against Donnarumma, I thought about a lot of things: whether I should shoot or go round him… I wasn’t sure I was going to score. I’ve been in this situation before in training, where I chose to go round the keeper and a defender saved on the line.”

Hat-trick:

“I remember that after that match [against PSG], when we were preparing for Lorient (4-2), the whole team and I were so tired, because we had given so much for the match against the Parisians. But I know that tiredness is only in your head. My favourite goal of the hat-trick was definitely the last one. It was a beautiful, beautiful goal. I remember watching a similar goal scored by Robin van Persie with the ball going over.”

The appeal of Ligue 1 Uber Eats:

“I obviously had a very good year at Reims. I don’t know what the future holds. But in any case, I’d advise young players to come here. It’s a really tough league, one that will help you improve. You get to play in some fantastic atmospheres! If they’re ready to get out of their comfort zone, I’d advise any young player to come here.”