Sofiane Boufal

Sofiane Boufal is a 32-year-old Moroccan attacking midfielder currently playing for Le Havre in Ligue 1. A technically gifted wide creator who built his reputation at Southampton and Angers, Boufal has spent the latter stages of his career back in France, where his ability to unlock defences with dribbling and incisive passing remains a useful weapon for a side that regularly battles in the lower half of the table.

Across 11 appearances in the 2025/26 Ligue 1 season, Boufal has contributed three assists without scoring, accumulating 706 minutes of action at an average rating of 6.59. His most influential recent outing came in a 3-2 defeat at Paris FC in late March, where he picked up an assist and earned a match rating of 7.39 playing the full 75 minutes. He followed that with a solid 85-minute shift in a goalless home draw against Lyon, rated 7.12, though a quieter performance in the 1-1 draw with Auxerre and a late substitute appearance at Nice suggest his involvement is being managed carefully at this stage of the season.

Boufal has been a regular starter when fit, but the pattern of his recent minutes points to a squad role rather than an automatic selection. Le Havre have drawn three of their last five league matches, a run that reflects both their defensive solidity and a difficulty converting pressure into goals. Boufal's creative output, particularly his three assists, makes him one of the more productive attacking options available to the coaching staff, even if end product in front of goal has eluded him personally this term. His trophy record includes the Carabao Cup and multiple Belgian Pro League titles from earlier in his career, underlining the level he has operated at.

In Le Havre's next fixture, it will be worth monitoring whether Boufal starts or again comes off the bench, as his influence tends to be more pronounced when given extended minutes. His movement in tight spaces and willingness to take on defenders can create openings that Le Havre's more direct players are unable to generate, making him a key figure to watch whenever the team needs to break down a low defensive block.