1. Moussa Sissoko
Pronunciation: Moo-sa Siss-oh-ko Position: Midfielder Former Club: Toulouse Age: 22 Fee: £2.5 million
What to expect: A box-to-box midfielder in the mould of Yaya Toure or a young Patrick Vieira, Sissoko has been coveted by many teams in the Premier League (Tottenham Hotspur once had a £12 million bid rejected,
according to the Telegraph) thanks to his height, strength on the ball and future potential. Despite being 22 years old Sissoko has over 200 appearences under his belt for Toulouse so dont expect fitness to be an issue. Very direct and happy to run at defenses he can the final ball sometimes.
First team: If Pardew persists with the 4-2-3-1 formation, Sissoko is likely challenge with Tiote for one of the double-pivot positions in midfield (the other will be taken up by Anita who possesses more guile and passing ability than both Tiote and Sissoko). Because of Tiotes current absence (and his lack of form) Sissoko could go straight into the starting 11 against Villa, replacing the energetic but lacking James Perch. http://youtu.be/b8is55APwpk Are you excited to see the French contingent play together? Share your thoughts below.