Breakthrough Stars of 2019/20: Rennes teenage midfield linchpin Eduardo Camavinga

Eduardo Camavinga was just 16 when he made his league debut for Rennes. On May 1st 2019, the teenager made his full debut for the Ligue 1 debut when he started their 2-2 draw with Monaco. While injuries or suspensions may see a manager thrust a young player into first team action earlier than they may have hoped, it was clear from the outset that Camavinga was good enough to hold down a spot in the Rennes XI. 

The summer departure of Benjamin Andre for Ligue 1 rivals Lille was eased by the emergence of Camavinga. Now, Rennes could have panicked when Andre departed, but instead Julien Stephan looked to the prodigious midfielder to shoulder the burden in his favoured 4-4-2 setup. 

Prior to the Ligue 1 suspension, Camavinga had started 24 of 28 league matches this season. Rennes are currently third in France's top tier and they would be closer to second-placed Marseille had the youngster been available to feature from the off in the remaining four matches. Camavinga may have first emerged last season, but it is 2019/20 where he has really broken onto the scene. 

It was in his side's 2-1 home win over defending champions PSG in August that Camavinga begun to become a household name outside of France, where he, still only 16, marshalled the midfield in a man of the match showing. The teen found a teammate with 40 of his 41 attempted passes (97.6%) as he got the better of a PSG midfield containing experienced trio Marco Verratti, Marquinhos and Julian Draxler. 

Camavinga had already faced PSG earlier that month, albeit in a 2-1 cup loss, as he put in a nigh-on faultless display that Sunday evening as Rennes made an excellent start to the Ligue 1 season. The victory over PSG came a week after their hard-fought 1-0 win at Montpellier to kickstart the campaign, an encounter that Camavinga, again, misplaced just one pass, finding a teammate with 41 of his 42 attempts. 

And, as one can imagine, the only way has been up for the French teenager since his excellent early season performances. Indeed, Camavinga has put in a series of mature displays that belies his tender years in the middle of the Rennes midfield this term as he shields the defence with aplomb. His two WhoScored strengths are 'ball interception' and 'tackling', traits that are crucial for a player in his position. 

Having made the fifth most tackles and interceptions combined (142) in Europe's top five leagues this season, they are strengths that are certainly deserved, and speaks volumes of not only his ability as a footballer, but also reinforces the faith shown in him by head coach Stephan. When Andre left, the Rennes boss could have gone out and used the funds raised to bring in a more experienced head to help alleviate pressure on the defence and protect Camavinga. 

Instead, he placed his trust in the youngster and it has been rewarded with Camavinga now one of the most coveted midfielders on the continent. Indeed, he has been linked with a high profile move away from Rennes and it's evidently for good reason, too. A crucial aspect of any midfielder is not only to win possession, but successfully retain the ball to allow the side to regroup and build an attack. For a Rennes side whose possession return of exactly 50%, that ranking eighth in Ligue 1, this is vital. 

Camavinga gave examples of his ability to successfully pick out a teammate with ease, though doing so in such a small sample size is easier than over the duration of the campaign. However, a pass success rate of 87.7%, that one of the better returns of all Rennes players, shows that Camavinga has a calm head on his young shoulders. Players his age may elect to be more daring due to inexperience, yet his return of just 0.3 key passes per game shows he is willing to play to his strengths and allow others to hurt opponents while he keeps them at bay, which is a huge boost for the team. 

The ban on all football in Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, while justified, comes at a bad time for Camavinga whose professional career remains in its infancy. He has shown this season he is able to shoulder the burden of playing as, arguably, the most important midfielder in the squad and it means that not only are Rennes sat pretty in third, but only Reims (21) have conceded fewer goals than Les Rouge et Noir (24) in France's top tier this term, four of which (16.7%) have come in the four matches Camavinga didn't start. 

If seasons are able to finish, and Rennes do secure a Champions League spot, then Camavinga will have played a central role in that feat, which is some achievement for a player enjoying an exceptional breakthrough year in France's top tier.