Benjamin Stambouli

Key strength: Ball retention

Deep-lying playmaker

At 35, Benjamin Stambouli finds himself in the trenches at FC Metz, where the Lorraine club languishes 18th in the table amid a wretched run of just one draw from their last four matches. The French defensive midfielder, valued at a modest €400,000, has mustered just two appearances this season – 180 minutes of experience deployed in a deep-lying playmaker role as Metz fight to escape the relegation mire. His ball retention ability offers a composed presence in a side desperate for stability, though the veteran has yet to register a goal contribution in his limited action. With teammates like Gauthier Hein and Habib Diallo shouldering the creative burden, Stambouli's role has become one of quiet efficiency rather than headline-grabbing exploits. In a dressing room where morale is being tested by a string of defeats, his experience – however reduced in minutes – could yet prove invaluable in the survival battle ahead.