Arsène Kouassi, the new Burkinabe gem that is igniting Ligue 1

Last week, RFI and France 24 published the list of 11 players selected for the Marc-Vivien Foé Award, rewarding the best African player in Ligue 1. And among the African stars present such as Lamine Camara or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a name unknown to the general public at the beginning of the season, who shines with Lorient: Arsène Kouassi.

The 22-year-old Burkinabè, who arrived last summer for just 1.2 million euros, is on a very good run since the start of the 2025-2026 campaign: 2 goals, 6 assists in 26 Ligue 1 games. The Ajaccio defector is simply one of the best in his position in France. Burkinabè international since June 2025 (5 caps, 1 goal), the left-hander was even elected as the nugget of the month in Ligue 1 in January 2026. Solid defensively and formidable with his sublime left foot that allows him to deliver flat bread and be skilled on set pieces (he even scored on a free kick against Nantes). During the 2025 AFCON, he played every minute of Burkina Faso’s 4 matches.

From Burkina Faso to the summits of Ligue 1

Before shining with Lorient, Arsène Kouassi started his football apprenticeship at New Stars FC in the country. The native of Cocody then caught the eye of Ajaccio, who recruited him in 2021 to integrate him into their academy. The following year, he was promoted to the reserve team.

After signing his first professional contract on September 4, 2024, his first pro season was crowned with success: 23 games in Ligue 2, all as a starter, for 2 assists. Above all, he played 21 games out of 23 in full, proof that he has become a must from the start, despite being suspended for 7 games at the beginning of the season after a red card followed by inappropriate behavior towards the referee (against Martigues on November 5, 2024).

Already tracked from everywhere
From now on, Arsène Kouassi is under the spotlight of Ligue 1 and already attracts the envy of several clubs in major European leagues. Already this winter, Nottingham Forest had made an offer of 7 million euros to buy the Étalon. Lorient considered the offer insignificant. But the English are not the only ones on the case. The Germans are also very interested in the 22-year-old: Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart are all on the case, while in Italy, AS Roma and Genoa also want to recruit him.

Nevertheless, Arsène Kouassi could also favor... Ligue 1. Indeed, Strasbourg is on the list for the Burkinabe gem. And knowing that BlueCo, who owns the club, is also the owner of Chelsea, it would be a great springboard for the player. In any case, the latter has a clear plan for his future.

«We chose to sign in Lorient because it is an excellent springboard, a club where a player can reach a level through hard work and which does not block the progression of its members. Today, Arsène is 100% focused on the end of his season. Once the exercise is over, we will evaluate all options. If an ambitious project comes up and all the parties agree, it will deserve serious consideration. By necessity, when you work well, you aspire to aim higher. But we will take stock calmly, in good understanding with management, at the end of the season,"

 his agent recently proclaimed.