by @FMDoop
There must be something in the water over in Belgium because in recent years they’ve seen more exciting talents coming through than I’ve seen hot dinners. Through their Golden Generation we've seen world-class talents such as Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne all excel and succeed at the highest levels of European football and this has continued through the likes of Charles De Ketelaere, Romeo Lavia and Jeremy Doku. Next up on the Belgium talent conveyor belt is Julien Duranville.
Julien Duranville put on the purple & white shirt colours of Anderlecht for the first time at the age of seven, growing up in Neerpede as part of a talented 2006 golden generation. The winger impressed with his lightning-fast speed and technical skills throughout every stage of his journey through Anderlecht youth academy, and he (literally) moved quickly to show his talents off at the most successful Belgian club in history. Even at an early age, Julien's agility and quickness allowed him to maneuver through tight spaces and create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. His excellent dribbling skills and close ball control make him a constant threat to opposing defences. Duranville possesses a powerful shot and is capable of scoring goals from distance as well as inside the penalty area. He soon earned the nickname “lightning bolt” due to his speed as a youngster, and his career seemed to progress with comparable drive and momentum at a club recognised throughout Europe for helping talented youngsters to reach their potential.
The now Dortmund attacker (following an €8.5m move in Jan 2023) made his professional debut two weeks after his 16th birthday - playing his first match for Anderlecht against Club Brugge on the last day of the 21/22 season. In September of the following season, he got his first senior goal against OH Leuven. Julien came off the bench for his first appearance of the campaign, where he found the ball at his feet with not a lot of time on the edge of the area. With minimum backlift, Julien brilliantly planted the ball in the top corner to score a statement first goal for the club.
Since the FM23 Winter Update, Julien is at Dortmund aged just 16. Despite his young age, Duranville has shown maturity beyond his years, both on and off the pitch. He displays excellent determination and teamwork skills, making him a reliable performer in high-pressure situations. His tactical awareness and ability to adapt to different formations and styles of play further enhance his value as a player.
With this versatility, it allows managers to operate him in various positions, including attacking midfielder, winger, or even as a false nine. If you get him retrained early on with proper guidance and game time, Duranville can evolve into a key player and a linchpin of any team's attacking prowess.
This is what I did with him at 1860 Munich. We had multiple adequate wingers yet we had a big hole in midfield for a creative player and no money to buy someone new. This gave me the chance to retrain him as an Advanced Playmaker on Attack duty in midfield. His ability to bring the ball out, find a pass and his overall pace and explosiveness makes him a suitable ball carrier from midfield. This is shown in his league stats for the season - 32 games played, 16 goal contributions.
Overall, Julien Duranville is an exceptional player to have in your squad. His technical skills, versatility and growth potential make him an exciting prospect to nurture and develop into a world-class winger or whatever you retrain him to. Whether you're managing Borussia Dortmund or any other club, Duranville can be the figure that you build your team around to become that driving force behind your team's success. Have you used him this year? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.
Thanks for reading.
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