Ligue 1: 3 Nigerians to watch out for during the 2021-22 season

The previous Ligue 1 season saw obvious favourites PSG beaten to the title by Lille. It wasn't what many expected but it produced a fascinating fairytale story.

While, they'll be keen to ensure it doesn't happen again, other teams will be empowered to get more giant killing results against them which can influence how the season ends. 

Pulse reviews some of the Nigerians out to make impact in Ligue 1 this term.

The 22-year old Nigerian has been on the books of Les Girondins since January 2019 and has made 48 appearances, scoring 11 goals for the French outfit. 

Maja spent the second half of the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Fulham - a club he represented during his youth, scoring three goals in 15 Premier League outings.

Two came in a 2-0 away win at Arsenal while the other was in a 1-1 draw at Arsenal. These efforts were however not enough to see the Cottagers survive as they finished 18th and got relegated back to the Championship. 

Bordeaux didn't have the best of seasons in Ligue 1, finishing in 12th place with 45 points, winning 12 matches and losing 19 matches, the third highest in the French top-flight. Maja will hope he can turn the club's fortunes around by playing a more important role alongside his compatriot Samuel Kalu.

The Calabar-born forward moved to Brittany at the start of the 2020-21 campaign from Belgian side Kortrijk and hit the ground running immediately. A goal on Matchday Two at Reims which ended in a 3-1 win was followed by 14 more strikes, all which proved crucial in seeing Lorient avoid the drop by two points. 

Some of Moffi's notable goals came against powerhouses PSG, Monaco and Marseille, Lorient avoiding defeat against the former two.

Moffi's brilliant form culminated in him getting a call-up to the Nigeria national team and he earned his first cap in a friendly against Cameroon in June. 

Lorient will be reliant on Moffi's services once again with the hopes of staying in Ligue 1 for the third consecutive season.

Simon has been ever-present for the Canaries since he first joined on loan from Levante ahead of the 2019-20 season before his move was made permanent.

He's been a fan favourite earning accolades such as the club's Player of the Season and also inducted in the club's Team of the Decade.

Simon featured 33 times in Ligue 1 last season and scored six goals alongside providing five assists. Nantes ultimately avoided going down by seeing off Toulouse 2-2 on aggregate via away goals during the promotion/relegation playoff.

Simon started where he left off last season, providing an assist in Nantes 2021-22 season opener at Monaco on Friday, which ended 1-1. He will certainly be a catalyst in improving the Loire-Atlantique side's finish on the log at the end of the campaign.

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Kunle is an avid writer with interest in topics on sports, politics and health. His articles have featured in Goal.com, Opera News and Vanguard News. He holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in International Relations and is an advocate for people living with Hydrocephalus and other neurological conditions.

Follow him on Twitter: @kfayiga

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