One of the most highly regarded young talents in the Czech league joined SK Slavia Praha just a year ago. El Hadji Malick Diouf has attracted the interest of numerous top clubs recently, as his impressive skills and their impact on his team’s performance can also be clearly demonstrated through advanced statistics.

Senegalese football has produced numerous legendary players over the years. Just think of names like Sadio Mané, Aliou Cissé, Henri Camara, or El-Hadji Diouf. The latter played a special role in the life of the Diouf family living in the Médina district of Dakar. When their first son was born at the very end of 2004, they named him El Hadji Malick Diouf in his honor.

It was no surprise that football, so popular in the country, quickly captivated the boy. Although his mother opposed it for a long time, she eventually gave her blessing for him to join the Galaxy Football Academy. Shortly afterward, he moved on to the Mawade Wade Academy, which offered better opportunities for him. While being there, two Spanish clubs invited him for trials, but he ultimately chose not to leave the African continent. That only happened in early 2023, when, after an impressive trial, he signed a contract with Tromsø IL, a team in Norway’s top division.

„Diouf is an exciting young Senegalese player who impressed us during a trial earlier this winter. He is a versatile defender with a very good understanding of the game and strong technical skills. Additionally, he already possesses good physicality”, – says TIL’s sporting director, Lars Petter Kræmer-Andressen.

Initially, he played for the fourth-tier reserve team as a winger, but in the second half of the season, he was already relied upon in Eliteserien matches. By the end of the calendar year, he had become a key player under Gaute Helstrup’s leadership, excelling as a left-wingback in the team that secured a third-place finish.

This performance caught the attention of SK Slavia Praha, who saw a future star in him, and signed the player in January 2024. Since the Senegalese youngster didn’t feel entirely comfortable with the weather conditions in northern Norway, he readily accepted the offer from the Czech club. Over the past year, he has become one of Jindřich Trpišovský’s favorite players. In the first six months, the coach carefully developed him, helping him acclimatize, and eventually turned him into a key member of the squad.

Diouf is among the most exciting young prospects in the league, whose breakthrough has drawn attention from top clubs. At the Czech league leaders, he plays as a wingback, but his role is almost equivalent to that of a winger, which is perfectly reflected in his metrics.

ON THE BALL

No matter which statistical category you examine, his numbers are among the best. This is partly due to the strength of Slavia, but it also helps that ideal conditions are often created for him to shine.

• Dribbles (2.72/90) – 86th percentile
• Progressive carries (2.37/90) – 95th percentile
• Touches in the attacking third (42.14/90) – 98th percentile
• Touches in the box (4.97/90) – 84th percentile

The center-backs can confidently rely on him during build-ups, as he can retain possession even under pressure. He is capable of dribbling on his own half and, thanks to his progressiveness, can easily reach the attacking third or even the box. During his carries, he predominantly uses his left foot, as his right foot is not yet sufficiently refined. This is an area where improvement is needed to make him more unpredictable in the future.

In addition, his passing is truly remarkable, with his three assists just scratching the surface, but his contributions to the team go far beyond that.

• Progressive passes (10.17/90) – 86th percentile
• Passes into the attacking third (17.8/90) – 91st percentile
• Passes into the box (6.99/90) – 88th percentile
• Crosses (5.26/90) – 93rd percentile
• Key passes (0.69/90) – 86th percentile
• Shot-creating actions (1.04/90) – 72nd percentile
• Big chances created (0.29/90) – 86th percentile

All of these metrics showcase his high level of play. Notably, he excels at retaining and distributing the ball under pressure, a skill that will be particularly valuable in a higher-tier league.

These stats are all at an elite level within the league. Thanks to these combined skills, he boasts the fourth-highest expected threat (xT) value in his position, which explains why Europe’s top football clubs have started to approach his agent about Diouf’s availability. As an added bonus, he is also highly dangerous in front of goal, as reflected in the following metrics:

• Shots (1.16/90) – 81st percentile
• Shots on target (0.6/90) – 98th percentile
• Expected goals (0.11/90) – 84th percentile

These stats place him among the elite full-backs and wing-backs. Of his six league goals, five were scored with his left foot. However, the point map below clearly shows that he poses a threat not only with his feet. He also has a solid aerial game, supported by his inclusion in the 84th percentile for offensive aerial duels.

DEFENSE

Although he isn’t particularly forced to focus on defending in the Czech league—something reflected in his stats—the situation changes on the international stage. In the Europa League league phase, he has more opportunities to showcase his valuable off-the-ball abilities. Among the 36 teams’ full-backs and wing-backs, he performs above average in ball recoveries (54th percentile), interceptions (55th percentile), and defensive aerial duels (61st percentile). The downside is his lack of discipline, as he commits slightly more fouls than necessary. This can result in dangerous free kicks and unnecessarily accumulated yellow cards.

CONCLUSION

All things considered, it’s almost certain that a record-breaking transfer fee for a Czech league player will be paid for Diouf this calendar year. His potential positions him to soon break into the starting eleven of a top-league team. With the skills he possesses, Diouf has the ability to become a generational star not only for Senegalese football but also for African football as a whole. The rest depends on making the right decisions and continuing on the promising path he has started.