David Datro Fofana: Who is Union Berlin's new Chelsea loanee?
Explosive pace, neat close control and a keen eye for goal, Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana looks to have all the tools to help Union Berlin through an exciting campaign. bundesliga.com shines a light on Die Eisernen's new Ivorian forward.
David Datro Fofana
Age: 20 (born 22 December 2002)
Club: Union Berlin (on loan from Chelsea)
Position: Forward
Country: Ivory Coast (3 caps)
Key stats
After impressing with Abidjan City in his native Ivory Coast, Fofana moved to the renowned Amadou Diallo Football Academy where he continued to develop his highly-rated skills. A switch to Europe had long been mooted for the 5' 11" forward and when Norwegian outfit Molde FK made inquiries, it wasn't long before the 18-year-old was winging his way to Scandinavia.
Fofana enjoyed a dream start with his new side in 2021, scoring a dramatic equaliser against Bundesliga team Hoffenheim in a Europa League round of 32 tie, which the Norwegians would eventually win. He made his Norwegian league bow in a 2-0 win against Kristiansund when the division got up and running for the summer season the following May.
Trophy success wasn't far off, and Fofana played a crucial role in helping Molde go all the way to 2021/22 Norwegian Cup glory, the versatile forward weighing in with two goals and two assists as the team from the City of Roses won their first title in eight years. He added a team-leading 15 goals and five assists the following season when Molde won the Norwegian championship by a whopping 18 points.
Fofana's impressive numbers - he scored 25 goals in 64 appearances for Molde - and ability to play across the front three attracted Premier League giants Chelsea, who made their move for the Ivorian at the beginning of 2023. He made his debut for the Londoners in an FA Cup defeat against Manchester City but would soon see his first-team chances at Stamford Bridge limited, prompting a loan switch to the Bundesliga with Union.
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Plays a bit like: Timo Werner
With an exceptional first touch and explosive speed straight out of the blocks, Fofana takes some catching when powering towards the opposition goal. Not all that dissimilar to Leipzig's Timo 'Turbo' Werner - who also featured for Chelsea - Union's new Ivorian forward complements his super pace with the occasional spectacular goal. He adds plenty more from inside the box and loves to take on opposition markers through the middle or out wide.
Did you know?
Fofana won the first of his three international caps when he was just 16 years old in an African Nations Championship qualifier - a tournament featuring only those players playing in domestic African leagues. He captained the Ivory Coast country at U23 level at the Maurice Revello Tournament this summer.
What they're saying
"Union have developed extremely strongly in the last few years and it excites me a lot to be a part of this in the coming season. The club has made a long and hard effort to find me and now I want to repay that with good performances." - Fofana speaking to Union's official website following his move to the German capital.
"David's speed and his flexible offensive qualities are highly interesting for us. We want another goal-scoring player who will give our attacking game additional impetus.” - Oliver Ruhnert, Union’s managing director.
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