Propelled to the forefront at AJ Auxerre, Hamed Traoré is a revelation in Ligue 1 this season. Loaned by Bournemouth in the Premier League, the Ivorian international has integrated perfectly into Christophe Pélissier’s team.
Traditionally employed as an attacking midfielder on the left, he played a key role in AJA’s first league successes this season. His technical finesse and sense of the game were particularly sharp for a team from Ligue 2 and facing many much more experienced teams at this level.
Traore did a remarkable job offloading the ball quickly, allowing his team to transition effectively, a formula that Auxerre have had great success with so far. He has also been sharp in AJA’s attacking third, leading the team in goals after 15 Ligue 1 matches, including two winners. Traore has done well for Auxerre, who sit in the top half of the Ligue 1 table after 15 matches.
A lot can still happen in the league, but Traoré’s contributions have helped Auxerre stay well above the Ligue 1 relegation line. With Traoré at his disposal, Pélissier has adopted a more aggressive approach than we’re used to from a newly promoted team, many of whom tend to just try to survive upon arriving in the top flight.
Traoré on Monaco’s radar
Not only did Auxerre survive, but they showed their ability to put experienced Ligue 1 teams behind, with the opposition having to respect the technical qualities that Traore possesses. At the end of matchday 11, Auxerre had already reached the 20-goal mark in the league, a feat which took them until matchday 24 to achieve in their previous Ligue 1 campaign in 2022-23.
What is unfortunate for the AJA is that it may not benefit from Traoré’s services for as long as it and its supporters would like. When Bournemouth agreed to loan him to Auxerre for a year at the end of August, the deal came with a no-buy clause.
However, his loan spell at Auxerre managed to get his career back on track. He arrived in France at a crossroads and will leave with a significantly enhanced reputation. His performances even attracted the attention of Champions League side Monaco, according to RMC Sport. Whether at Auxerre, Bournemouth, Monaco or elsewhere, he will approach next season with much more confidence than he started the current campaign.
