Signed by Lille as a raw 16-year-old, Matt Moussilou patiently rose through the ranks before making his Ligue 1 debut against Bastia in 2002. But it was Claude Puel who really gave the pacy striker his break after he had struggled to win the confidence of previous boss Vahid Halilhodzic, and a call-up to the French Under-21 squad followed soon afterwards.

Injury at the start of last season threatened to derail his rapid progress, but the 22-year-old waited for his chance again and it came when the northerners' star forward Vladimir Manchev was sidelined for a number of months. Moussilou stepped into the breach and netted seven times, including a sequence of six goals in eight games that seduced the team's vociferous supporters.

His emergence eased the departure of Manchev in the summer and, with Puel preferring to play with just one striker, Moussilou now finds himself the club's major offensive weapon. It's true that the goals haven't exactly flowed for him this term, but they have often been crucial. "I just want to play," he says. "I've still got a lot to learn."