Jean-Matteo Bahoya: Arsenal’s Speed Demon Target in Bundesliga

Footem.in – Jean-Matteo Bahoya Negoce is making waves in German
football. The Eintracht Frankfurt winger made history in Bundesliga matchday
26 during his team’s 3-1 victory over Bochum. In that game, the French
teenager clocked a remarkable speed of 37.16 km/h, making him the fastest
player ever recorded in Bundesliga history.

That figure astonished many. Bahoya’s speed was only slightly behind Usain
Bolt’s average speed when he broke the 100-meter world record at the 2009
World Championships: 37.58 km/h. That comparison confirms one thing—the
Bundesliga has a new speed demon on the pitch.

Breaking Records in the Bundesliga

The 2024–2025 season has become a speed competition: Moussa Diaby, Alphonso
Davies, Sheraldo Becker, Karim Adeyemi, and Sirlord Conteh—all once held the
record. But Bahoya, with his long strides and explosive power, broke them
all. He’s not just fast. He’s the fastest!

The Winding Road from Angers to Frankfurt

Bahoya joined Eintracht Frankfurt in January 2024, after being recruited
from Angers for a fee of 8 million euros (approximately ₹716,613,220).

Initially, he struggled to secure a starting place under coach Dino
Toppmöller. But after a series of convincing performances in the reserve
team, things changed—especially after the departure of team star, Omar
Marmoush.

That momentum allowed Bahoya to rise through the ranks. In fact, he earned
more consistent playing time than Elye Wahi, a player brought in for a much
higher value: 26 million euros, or approximately ₹2,329,493,115.

And in mid-March, he had a week he may never forget:

• First goal in the Europa League (vs Ajax)
• First goal in the Bundesliga (vs Bochum)
• Two goals, two competitions, one week: a sign of a young phenomenon.

A Golden Seed from France

Bahoya is no stranger to European scouts. Before Germany, he showed great
potential with Angers—5 goals and 2 assists in just 716 minutes the
previous season.

Further back, he was a goal-scoring machine for the French U17 team, scoring
30 goals in 25 games. No wonder many clubs fell in love. Even when he was
only 16 years old, AC Milan offered 1 million euros (approximately ₹89,576,653) to recruit him. Arsenal also once watched his potential.

Laurent Boissier, Angers Sports Director, admitted:
“We knew Bahoya would be big. Big clubs have been monitoring him for a long
time.”

Frankfurt Impressed by Speed and Determination

According to Markus Krösche, Frankfurt’s head of sports, the club saw
something special in Bahoya from the start:

“He is one of the most promising talents from France. His speed and
offensive determination are elements we need.”

That prediction proved accurate.

Compared to Sancho, Similar to Barcola

Bundesliga.com even compares Bahoya’s playing style to Jadon Sancho—especially
the ability to play on the left as a nimble and technical right-footed
winger. But in terms of game characteristics, he is closer to Bradley
Barcola:

• both are dominant with the right foot
• both are more comfortable operating on the left
• both have similar posture and ball progression style
• both are of African descent

Bahoya also admits to idolizing Neymar, especially for his agility and
creativity. But when it comes to speed, the Bundesliga now knows who the
king is.

Bundesliga’s New Diamond

With a sprint record that shook Germany and continuously improving
performance, Bahoya now stands as one of the brightest young stars in French
football. His journey has just begun, but the Bundesliga has already
witnessed a flash of new light that can change the game at any time.

Jean-Matteo Bahoya is not just a prospect. He is a phenomenon!