Former
Arsenal forward is thriving in Ligue 1 after a spell at
Juventus and a recommendation from Thierry Henry
Since leaving Arsenal in 2018 and becoming the first Englishman to play for Juventus since David Platt, Stephy Mavididi has become used to life on the continent. Even though he is now excelling for high-flying Montpellier in Ligue 1, after a successful loan at Dijon last season thanks to a recommendation from Thierry Henry, the 22-year-old from east
London with family from the
Democratic Republic of the Congo admits his linguistic skills have been severely tested.
“My parents speak French and so do all my aunties and uncles so I thought mine was all right until I got here,” he says. “But when I got here I was like: ‘I need to improve.’ I’m getting better – speaking some every day with my teammates and coaches helps a lot and also when you go to the shop and things like that. You pick it up bit by bit.”