
Key strength: Pace and recovery
Overlapping full-back
At 31, Przemysław Frankowski is authoring one of Ligue 1's most compelling reinventions. The Polish international—listed nominally as a right-back—has become the unlikely heartbeat of Stade Rennais' midfield, driving Julien Stéphan's side to 5th place in the table despite their patchy LWLWW form. Frankowski's numbers tell only part of the story: 1 goal, 2 assists, and 1,307 minutes across 20 appearances this season. The deeper truth lies in his €6 million valuation and relentless box-to-box industry—overlapping runs that bridge Rennais' defensive structure with the creative brilliance of teammates like Ludovic Blas and Mahdi Camara. While his five yellow cards hint at the physical toll of his new role, Frankowski's transformation defies positional convention. In a league mesmerized by explosive wingers, this Polish veteran proves that football's most precious commodity remains its connective tissue—the player who sees the pass others miss, knitting together ambition and execution from an unorthodox midfield station that belies his defensive roots.