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Sky Sports Scout - M'Baye Niang

We run the rule over Caen starlet M'Baye Niang

By Sky Sports Scout.   Last Updated: July 14, 2011 12:25pm

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Sky Sports Scout is our exciting feature where we scour the globe looking out for the best talent and bring you a report on what we find.

After a few weeks scouting the European Under-21 Championship, he is back with a new look.

Our Scout will report back and you can comment on what you think of his appraisal.

Also, in association with Football Manager, we give all readers the chance to win a copy of the latest game by nominating a player.

You can only nominate a player by emailing here, including the word 'Scout' in your subject line and please check to make sure we haven't already covered the player, you can see over 100 previous reports to the right of the page.

Should your player get reviewed by our scout, and you were first to send in his name, then you will win a copy of the all new Football Manager 2011.

You can also now interact with the scout via his all new Twitter feed! You can get in touch with him and interact here or just search for @skysportsscout!

Latest under our scout's gaze is Caen starlet M'Baye Niang - recommended by Sky Sports reader Phil Sugar.

The scout reports...

Sometimes I get to report on good players, and just sometimes there are genuine talents who have the world at their feet - and M'Baye Niang looks like one of those.

Niang only joined Caen's youth academy at the age of 13 following a brief trial, but his progress has been startling.

Standing at 6ft already, many presume Niang to be a target-man - but is far from it, and indeed most of the time he is found on the left wing cutting in.

Because of his style of play he has been likened to Thierry Henry - but Niang is more of a physical presence and will no doubt emerge as an out-and-out centre-forward because of this.

It was not long after being picked up by Caen that France's own scouts took note and he was immediately shipped into their youth set-up.

At club level Niang was training with the first-team at 15 and in April this year, just four months after turning 16 he was handed his league debut, and a week later he started his first match.

Indeed Niang finished the season with three goals in just seven appearances - four of which were starts.

Niang is an exceptional talent, and despite only being 16, actually looks ready for first-team football, and this has not gone unnoticed and England's elite are already flocking across the Channel. Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool are all said to have scouted him.

Caen have him contracted up to 2014, but Niang's potential is so great they could have a real battle to keep hold of him.

In recent weeks, France have been left reeling after Niang announced that he would be switching his national allegiance to Senegal - the country of his parents.

The scout says...

A quite brilliant young player, who will hopefully be allowed to continue to progress at Caen for at least one more season.

But even if he is sold, Caen are looking to keep him on loan anyway so he should stay put in Normandy for at least another 12 months.

The Scout rating...

Shooting: 7 out of 10

Passing: 7 out of 10

Tackling: 6 out of 10

Heading: 7 out of 10

Pace: 9 out of 10

Vision: 7 out of 10

Current ability: 7 out of 10

Potential ability: 10 out of 10

OVERALL SCOUT RATING: 60/80

Current value: £8million

Potential value: £40million

Your opinion...

You have read our opinion of M'Baye Niang - now we want your views. Have you seen Niang in action? Do you agree with our assessment? Do you think he will make it?

Get in touch, either using the form below, email or the scout's all new Twitter feed - @skysportsscout

And if you have spotted anyone you think we should feature then please get in touch using the same form. We will look to send out the Scout to follow up your leads.

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