Elisha Owusu

Key strength: Ball retention

Deep-lying playmaker

Deep in the French relegation mire at 16th in Ligue 1, AJ Auxerre have turned to Ghanaian midfielder Elisha Owusu as a stabilizing force in their fight for survival. The 28-year-old defensive anchor has made 3 appearances this season, accumulating 270 minutes of top-flight action. While yet to register goals or assists, Owusu's role as a deep-lying playmaker has been his calling card – his ball retention abilities offering respite to a side desperate for control. With a €3 million market value, he's valued for composure rather than flash. His two yellow cards in just three outings reveal both tenacity and perhaps rust after limited minutes. Surrounded by higher-rated attacking talent like Lassine Sinayoko and Danny Namaso, Owusu represents the unsung engine room – a player whose value won't show on the scoresheet but whose ability to recycle possession could prove priceless in Auxerre's relegation battle.