FM 12: Karim Aït Fana - cheap both sides winger

Karim Aït-Fana (Arabic: كاريم ايت-فانا‎) (born 25 February 1989) is a French footballer of Moroccan descent currently playing for Ligue 1 club Montpellier. Aït-Fana can play in a variety of attacking positions, which include playing in the hole, as a winger, and in the attacking midfield position. His father is from Azrou and his mother is from Meknes.

Career

Aït-Fana was born in Limoges and began his career playing for his local club, Air Limoges. At the age of thirteen, he was selected to attend the Centre de Formation de Châteauroux, a regional youth academy that is comparable to that of the Clairefontaine academy, in order to receive further training. While training at Châteauroux during the week, he played with hometown club Limoges FC on the weekends. After spending two years at the academy, he joined Montpellier.

Aït-Fana made his professional football debut on 12 May 2006, the final match day of the 05-06 Ligue 2 season, coming on as a late-match substitute playing 9 minutes in a 0–1 loss to Le Havre. The following season, his playing time increased to 13 matches. He also scored his first goal during this season on 27 April 2007 against LB Châteauroux in a 1–3 defeat. Aït-Fana's role in the team was greatly expanded for the 2007–08 season as he appeared in 37 total matches. He scored his only two goals for the season in the final league match of the season against FC Libourne-Saint-Seurin, which Montpellier won 5–0.

Montpellier earned promotion to Ligue 1 following the club's successful campaign during the 2008–09 season with Aït-Fana having an influential role. He scored a career-high six goals during the campaign including the winner against Guingamp late in the season with the club in the midst of a promotion battle. Due to his successful season, Aït-Fana was given a contract extension with the club until the year 2012. In his first season with Montpellier in Ligue 1, Aït-Fana has been a revelation in the team, which has reached as high as 2nd position in the league. He has scored impressive goals against Sochaux, Boulogne, Le Mans, and Marseille. Montpellier have gone undefeated in the five league matches Aït-Fana has scored in.

International career

Aït-Fana has been active on the international youth circuit for France. He has earned limited caps with the under-16s, under-17s, under-18s, and the under U-19 squad. After not representing France for over a year and a half, it was speculated that Aït-Fana would follow in the footsteps on fellow French-born Moroccan Marouane Chamakh and play for Morocco, his country of origin. However, on 1 October 2009, he was called up to the France under-21 team by coach Erick Mombaerts for their 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification matches against Malta on 9 October and Belgium on 13 October. Aït-Fana made his debut in the Malta match appearing as a substitute in the 76th minute. Despite being on the pitch for mere seconds, he scored France's second goal of the match ensuring them a 2–0 victory.

Spoiler:

i bought him for FC Kobenhavn at the start of first season with 1,1 mil € in 48 months and 50% from a next transfer and a wage of 725k per year. he has room for improvement, very good mental stats and can play on the right almost as good as on the left so for this price he's a bargain.

I recommend him. Got him on a free end of first season for Everton, did very well, voted fans player of season and was already on the clubs favoured personnel list. Sold him after a season though for £7m to Chelsea!

Looks like a tricky little winger there, nice

I must say that Montpellier strip is absolutely lush :eek: