Ligue 1 newly-promoted team AJ Auxerre confirmed the signing of 27-year-old Senegalese forward M’Baye Niang from Bordeaux. It’s the latest attempt to turn the massive potential of the much-travelled attacker into something consistent on the pitch. An enormous talent, he often made headlines for driving without a licence, crashing cars into trees and generally being an immature kid.##NAJAVA_MECA_6576841##What can you say about a player who’s just joined his tenth club at the age of 27? If you had to guess, you’d probably assume that he hasn’t got the calmness, maturity and professionalism to remain at one club and play regularly. Your assumption would be right, but it’s not the whole story.The man who netted seven goals in just eight starts in what’s been a thoroughly desperate season for Bordeaux is now back in the French top tier. But we’d have to go way back to really paint the picture of Niang. Back in 2011.What a strike from M’Baye Niang! 🇸🇳💥#OnThisDay | @MBaye9Niang pic.twitter.com/WONk8e9F3J— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) April 4, 2022 M’Baye started his career at Caen when he was just 16. He scored for the first team in only his third appearance, going on to score three games in seven games.These first steps opened the doors to many European teams, but AC Milan finally won the race for the talented boy and got him for $3 million in 2012. The 18-year-old striker won’t impose himself in Lombardy. He was sent regularly on loan – to Montpellier, Genoa, Watford and then Torino. It was to turn into a pattern. Loans, moves, more loans and more transfers. Following M’Baye’s career became hard work.
The last bright spot in Niang’s career came during his first two seasons at Stade Rennais (2018-2020), with a Coupe de France win and a respectable return of 21 goals in 55 games. But it was all to go sour again. He had an eyebrow-raising loan at Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia before he joined Bordeaux in 2021.Now with Auxerre for a year, with another year an option, he will try to return to the form he’s had at Rennes. He has the ability and the right age, but he’ll have to get rid of his bad reputation off the pitch. Hopefully, he got his driver’s licence in the meantime.