Leeds’ deadline-day move for Jean-Matteo Bahoya may not have made too many headlines on an afternoon dominated by Enzo Fernandez’s joint-British record £125million transfer to Manchester City – but it could prove to be one of the smartest signings of the window.
Multiple Premier League sides were linked with a move for the France Under 21s star. At one stage, newly-promoted Hull City appeared to be at the front of the queue for Bahoya. But it was Leeds who got the deal – an initial loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, with the option to buy for £19.7million next summer – over the line.
A significant outlay, you could argue, for a 21-year-old with no experience of English football. Yet his performances in the Bundesliga following his move in January 2024 from boyhood club Angers have been enough to convince the Leeds hierarchy to make the move happen.
There is only one place to start with Bahoya – his eye-catching speed. During the 2024-25 season, Bahoya was clocked at 23.1mph, making him the fastest player in Bundesliga history.
It would put him in fourth place in Premier League history, behind only Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven (23.23mph), former Manchester City defender Kyle Walker (23.18mph) and Jackson Tchatchoua of Wolves (23.18mph).
‘In his first step, he kills you,’ former Frankfurt team-mate Junior Dina Ebimbe said of Bahoya. ‘Today some players pass the ball to make a two vs one. But he really plays one vs one. He’s not scared to take his man on. In a one versus one, he always passes his man.’
Leeds completed the deadline day signing of Jean-Matteo Bahoya from Eintracht Frankfurt
Bahoya, 21, is a hugely exciting talent and the fastest recorded player in Bundesliga history
It is Bahoya’s ability to rapidly shift from a standing start to top speed that poses defenders the most headaches.
Ebimbe added: ‘It’s too much. Maybe you can catch him after a while, but at the start, you’re definitely not going to see him again. His steps are so quick and he can change direction very fast.’
It is not just his searing pace that catches the eye, though. Bahoya’s dribbling, chance creation and work rate are also impressive. Bahoya completed the tenth-most dribbles in the Bundesliga last season, despite playing just 27 times. His performance in this metric would also rank him highly compared to the other top wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.
The 21-year-old’s directness has earned him comparisons with Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku. Bahoya completed 2.78 take-ons per 90 minutes last season, a record that puts him in the 94th percentile of all wingers across Europe. Bahoya’s skills are gold dust for managers attempting to deal with the rise in man-to-man marking in the Premier League and for sides hoping to be ruthless in transition.
It is not only his attacking qualities that stand out, though. Bahoya also ranked well across measures such as interceptions and tackles, while his footballing IQ has been hailed by previous coaches as another strength.
An element of caution is required though, with Bahoya having only contributed seven goals and eight assists across 78 appearances for Frankfurt, although he was prolific during his time in Angers’ academy.
He is young and raw yet he does have a fair amount of experience for someone of his age, and has played in both the Europa League and Champions League.
As a classic one vs one winger and with an ability to feature across the frontline, he most certainly has a high ceiling. He also adds some much needed depth to Leeds’ stocks in wide positions.
Bahoya (pictured in action against Tottenham in 2025) has experience in European football
The 21-year-old, who plays for France’s Under 21s, has been compared to Jeremy Doku
Although he tended to feature off the left at Frankfurt where he preferred to cut inside and come on to his right foot, Bahoya is highly versatile
Farke favours a 3-4-2-1 formation, meaning that Bahoya will likely feature in one of the two attacking roles behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin. There, he will compete with the likes of Harry Wilson, Noah Okafor, Brenden Aaronson, Daniel James and Lukas Nmecha, though Nmecha is more direct competition for Calvert-Lewin as a striker.
Bahoya is also a stylistic replacement and upgrade on Willy Gnonto, after the Italian moved to Fiorentina on a season-long loan. Although he tended to feature off the left at Frankfurt where he preferred to cut inside and come on to his right foot, Bahoya is highly versatile.
Wilson was a statement summer signing for Leeds, while Okafor and Aaronson impressed last season so they are likely to be ahead of him in the pecking order to begin with. Yet, with his lightning pace, Bahoya will no doubt prove to be a significant weapon to have off the bench.
Leeds’ positive start to the campaign, coupled with their hopes for 2026-27, means Bahoya is a shrewd and exciting addition that should complement their squad well.
