Momodou Lamin Sonko: Scouting Report by Mateusz Belza
Name: Momodou Lamin Sonko
Age: 18 (2005-01-31)
Height: 1,76m
Main Position: Left-winger
Club: BK Häcken
Nationality: Sweden and Gambia
Preferred foot: Right
Market Value: £ 4.00m
Player comparisons: Federico Chiesa
Key Strengths:
Agility
1v1
Footwork
Pace
Finishing
Instinct
Improvements:
Physical strength
Pressing
Defensive positioning
Temporarily overambitious with dribbling
Background:
Momodou Sonko was born in Sweden and started his football career at the club Västra Frölunda IF. When he turned 14, he joined the BK Häcken’s academy.
Career Summary:
In his youth career before Sonko moved up to the BK Häcken first team, he played in leagues such as U17, U19, and U21 Allsvenskan, as well as the league cup, which is a tournament for youth teams in Sweden. His statistics from all these competitions show that he played a total of 44 matches, scoring a total of 33 goals and providing 6 assists. After three seasons in the academy, Sonko made his senior debut for BK Häcken in Allsvenskan at the age of 17 on October 2, 2022, coming on as a substitute against Varberg BoIS. He signed his first long-term professional contract with BK Häcken in May 2022. Despite being only 18 years old, Sonko has already won the Allsvenskan with BK Häcken in 2022 and the Swedish Cup in 2023. Additionally, he was honored as the Young Player of the Year in the Allsvenskan last season.
On the national team level, Sonko has already represented Sweden in the U17 and U19 national teams. His debut in the U17 team took place on September 1, 2021, against Switzerland. The debut in the U19 national team came just over a year later on September 24,
2022, against Austria. On December 6, 2023, Momodou Sonko was selected for the January tour with the Swedish national team but had to withdraw due to a minor injury.
| Momodou Lamin Sonko – Career Summary Stats | ||
| Competition | Total Games | From start Substitution on Goals Assist |
| Allsvenskan 2022 | 1 | 0 1 0 0 |
| Svenska Cupen 2022/2023 | 7 | 3 4 3 3 |
| Allsvenskan 2023 | 23 | 16 7 7 4 |
| Svenska Cupen 2023/2024 Champions League Qualification 2023/2024 | 1 4 | 0 1 1 1 0 4 1 0 |
| Europa League 2023/2024 | 7 | 3 4 2 0 |
| Total | 43 | 22 21 14 8 |
| Momodou Lamin Sonko – National Team Career | ||
| Team | Total Games | From start Substitution on Goals Assist |
| Sweden U19 | 2 | 0 2 0 1 |
| Sweden U18 | 6 | 4 2 2 0 |
| Sweden U17 | 6 | 2 4 0 0 |
| Total | 14 | 6 8 2 1 |
Play style:
A dynamic fusion of explosive and flamboyant winger traits sets Sonko apart as a thrilling and versatile attacking force. He possesses rapid acceleration, pace, and agility that enable him to navigate tight spaces and dribble past defenders with ease. Sonko prefers receiving the ball either out wide on the flank or dropping deep into the midfield to collect the ball before taking on opponents in 1v1 situations or run past them with his pace and acceleration. In his 1v1 situations, Sonko often attempts skillful moves such as step-overs and body feints. When receiving the ball on the flank, Sonko likes cutting inside after a successful dribble, where he either takes a shot on goal or enters the “assist zone” to deliver cut-back passes to his teammates, setting up scoring opportunities for them. He does this with both his right foot and left foot depending on the positioning of the ball. When not opting for a cut-back pass, he tends to deliver his crosses low and hard along the ground rather than sending the ball in the air.
Physical Attributes:
– Explosive speed: Sonko exhibits remarkable straight-line speed and rapid acceleration, establishing himself as a constant threat in counter-attacking situations.
– Agility and Quick Change of Direction: His agility allows for smooth navigation through confined spaces, combined with the ability to rapidly change direction and cut inside from the flank.
Technical Skills:
– Ball control: Sonko demonstrates outstanding ball control, showcasing the ability to receive, trap, and manipulate the ball with precision. His close ball control enables him to maneuver through tight spaces and retain possession under pressure from opponents.
– Using different surfaces: Sonko showcases versatility in using various surfaces of his feet to control and distribute the ball. Whether with the instep, outstep, or even delicate touches, he adapts his technique based on the demands of the situation.
– 1V1: In 1v1 situations, Sonko’s technical prowess shines. His ability to take on defenders with confidence is remarkable for a player of his age, employing a mix of dribbling skills and quick changes of direction, makes him a potent threat in isolated situations. However, he can sometimes over-dribble, leading to unnecessary ball losses.
– Positioning: Sonko’s positioning on the field reflects a good understanding of the offensive aspects of the game. His defensive position is an area for improvement. His ability to find advantageous offensive positions contributes to effective link-up play and goal-scoring opportunities.
– Making spaces: Sonko has a knack for creating space, whether through off-the-ball movement or intelligent runs with the ball. His awareness of the positioning of teammates, coupled with his own movement, opens up opportunities for himself and others.
– Foot skills: Sonko’s proficiency with both feet adds an extra dimension to his game. Whether delivering accurate passes, taking shots on goal, or executing skillful maneuvers, he showcases a balanced and versatile use of both his left and right foot.
Goal-Scoring:
– Goal-Scoring Threat: Beyond his explosive runs, Sonko poses a goal-scoring threat, capable of finishing chances with precise shots with both feet. His ability to position himself effectively in the penalty box adds another dimension to his goal-scoring prowess. He situates himself in the right area in the penalty box to either be available for a rebound or to find space so his teammates can play the ball to him.
Decision-Making:
– Quick Decision-Making: Sonko often demonstrates rapid decision-making skills on the field, whether it’s challenging a defender, making a crucial pass, or taking a shot on goal. This quick thinking introduces an element of unpredictability to his play. Nevertheless, there are situations, as mentioned earlier, where he may find himself attempting to over-dribble past an opponent rather than utilizing his speed to maneuver past them. It’s important to acknowledge that this aspect is expected to diminish with age and increased experience.
Play style (Offensively):
In this image, we see how Sonko has entered the “assist zone,” where we can observe from his body language in the picture that he shot-feints past the defender to advance a few extra meters in order to deliver a pass to his teammate Romeo Amane, who is positioned freely just on the edge of the penalty area.
Right before the situation we see in the picture, Sonko received a ball that he pretended to meet, letting it pass between his legs to accelerate while facing the right direction, getting past his opponent and heading towards the opposing goal. Sonko steps into the penalty area as shown in the picture and executes a cutback to Romeo Amane.
Something I often notice Sonko doing to create space for himself to be able to run behind his opponent is that he uses body feints to meet the ball in a way that keeps his opponent off balance, allowing him to quickly change direction and move forward towards the opponent’s goal. This is evident in the picture where he has just executed a body feint to then turn in the right direction towards goal. However, Mikkel Rygaard (Player with the ball in the picture) wasn’t entirely on the same page, and Sonko didn’t receive the ball in the optimal space. Nevertheless, he managed to control the ball on the wing, and BK Häcken retained possession.
In this situation, Sonko showcases his playmaker qualities by challenging the opponent’s fullback in a 1v1 situation, by this he is creating space behind the defender. He then plays the ball between the fullback and the midfielder to Kadir Hodzic (The player in the small black circle in the picture), who makes a run into the space Sonko created by challenging the fullback and preventing the fullback from dropping into that area.
Once again, Sonko utilizes his body feints to create space for himself. However, in this situation, he did the opposite of what I previously demonstrated. Now, he pretended to move deep, causing the opponent’s fullback to shift his body weight towards his own goal, thereby creating space for Sonko to come and meet the ball in the yellow circle.
In this scenario, Sonko dribbles past his opponent (Martin Olsson) in a 1v1 situation and approaches the goal line before forcefully striking the ball along the ground. He places it perfectly for Edward Chilufya, who has made a run into the box, and Chilufya then slots the ball into the goal.
Here we can see one of Sonko’s strongest attributes when he receives the ball on the left flank to cut inside the field and finish on the right side of the goal.
His first professional career hat-trick against IFK Norrköping.
Play style (Defensively):
In this situation, we witness Sonko tracking back along the goal line, displaying defensive work even down the wing. Initially beaten in a one-on-one duel, he doesn’t give up and continues to pursue his opponent. Ultimately, he executes a perfect sliding tackle, winning the ball that then finds its way to his teammate Romeo Amane. Sonko swiftly gets back on his feet and initiates an offensive transition along the right flank. This showcases excellent determination from Sonko.
Sonko demonstrates the ability to engage in high pressing against an opponent, but there is room for improvement. In the specific example, we observe Sonko pressing an opponent who is partially facing away. Unfortunately, his pressing becomes predictable, allowing the opponent to easily shift play to a teammate behind him. This results in the opponent gaining significant space to operate.
To enhance this aspect of Sonko’s game, it would be advantageous for him to read the situation more effectively and choose a more opportune moment to initiate the press. Additionally, he should be aware of covering the central area instead of aggressively pressing when the opponent does not pose an immediate threat. This adjustment would increase the efficiency of Sonko’s defensive play and reduce the risk of opponents easily bypassing his press.
Technical Abilities (0-10):
Attacking Ability: [8]
Dribbling 1v1: [9]
Right Footed Shooting: [8]
Left Footed Shooting: [7]
Finishing: [8]
Left Footed Passing: [7]
Right Footed Passing:[8]
Short Passing: [9]
Long Passing: [6]
Crossing: [6]
Movement with the ball: [9]
Movement without the ball: [8]
Ball Control: [8]
Heading: [4]
Weak foot: [9]
First Touch: [7]
Physical Abilities (0-10):
Acceleration: [9]
Speed: [9]
Mobility: [9]
Strength: [5]
Work Rate: [8]
Agility: [10]
Endurance: [7]
Tactical Abilities (0-10):
Positioning: [8]
Reading the Game: [7]
Vision: [9]
Decision Making: [8]
Awareness: [6]
Mentality & Character abilities (0-10):
Team Player: [7]
Effort to win the ball back: [7]
Leadership: [3]
Talkative: [4]
Competitive: [8]
Discipline: [7]
Concentration: [8]
Showing initiative: [9]
Potential:
Sonko possesses a remarkable future potential. Following an outstanding season, he garnered attention and was recently called up for the Swedish national team’s January tour. Despite unfortunately having to withdraw due to circumstances, his performances have not gone unnoticed.
Sonko has been recognized as the youth player of the season in the Allsvenskan, clearly indicating his impressive progress and achievements. At just 18 years old, he was one of the most influential players for BK Häcken during the previous season.
He has already showcased his skills on the European stage by participating in the Europa League, where he managed to score. This experience significantly contributes to his impressive CV, enhancing his value as a promising Swedish talent.
Given his performances, it would not be surprising if one of the bigger clubs chooses to recruit him already in January. However, a transfer during the summer appears more likely. Sonko’s technical prowess, football intelligence, and rapid development make him a player with the potential to reach great heights in the future.
I believe that the Bundesliga would be an excellent step in his career now, where he can further develop and capitalize on his specialized skills that would suit him exceptionally well in the Bundesliga.