Pierre Lees-Melou
{{short description|French footballer (born 1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Pierre Lees-Melou
| image = Pierre Lees-Melou 2021-08-07 1.jpg
| caption = Lees-Melou playing for Norwich City in 2021
| full_name = Pierre Lees-Melou{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/2247219 |title=2021/22 Premier League squads confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=10 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|5|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = Langon, France
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Attacking midfielder
| currentclub = Brest
| clubnumber = 20
| youthyears1 = 1998–2003
| youthclubs1 = Pierre Monsoise
| youthyears2 = 2003–2009
| youthclubs2 = Bordeaux
| youthyears3 = 2009–2010
| youthclubs3 = Langon
| years1 = 2010–2012
| clubs1 = Langon
| caps1 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2012
| clubs2 = Mérignac-Arlac
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 2013–2015
| clubs3 = {{Interlanguage link|US Lège-Cap-Ferret|lt=Lège-Cap-Ferret|fr|Union sportive de Lège-Cap-Ferre}}
| caps3 = 50
| goals3 = 13
| years4 = 2015–2017
| clubs4 = Dijon
| caps4 = 48
| goals4 = 9
| years5 = 2017–2021
| clubs5 = Nice
| caps5 = 119
| goals5 = 16
| years6 = 2021–2022
| clubs6 = Norwich City
| caps6 = 33
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2022–
| clubs7 = Brest
| caps7 = 67
| goals7 = 9
| club-update = 20 December 2024
}}
Pierre Lees-Melou (born 25 May 1993) is a French professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for {{French football updater|Brest}} club Brest.
Career
=Dijon=
Born in Langon, Gironde, Lees-Melou started his career with {{Interlanguage link|US Lège-Cap-Ferret|lt=Lège-Cap-Ferret|fr|Union sportive de Lège-Cap-Ferre}} in the Championnat de France Amateur 2 before sealing a move to Dijon in 2015. He played 16 games (split equally between starts and substitute appearances) as they earned promotion from Ligue 2 in his first season, while also playing in the fifth division with the reserve team. He scored his first two professional goals in April in wins over Clermont and Paris FC, and assisted the opening goal against Ajaccio that earned promotion on the final day.{{cite news |last1=Freezer |first1=David |title=PROFILE: City new boy went from non-league to Champions League |url=https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich-city/profile-norwich-city-midfielder-pierre-lees-melou-8140090 |access-date=18 April 2022 |work=Pink Un |date=13 July 2021}}
In the 2016–17 Ligue 1, Lees-Melou scored 7 goals in 32 games as the team survived in 16th place. On 27 August, he came off the bench to score the final goal of a 4–2 comeback win at home to Lyon.
=Nice=
In June 2017, Lees-Melou signed a four-year deal with Nice, worth around €5 million.{{cite news |title=Mercato. Nice : Pierre Lees-Melou va s'engager 4 ans|trans-title=Transfer market. Nice: Pierre Lees-Melou will join for 4 years|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/football/transferts/mercato-nice-pierre-lees-melou-va-s-engager-4-ans-5064169 |access-date=18 April 2022 |work=Ouest-France |date=15 June 2017 |language=French}} He made his debut on 26 July, starting in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, a 1–1 home draw with Ajax.{{cite news |title=Nice: Lees-Melou et Srarfi titulaires contre l'Ajax|trans-title=Nice: Lees-Melou and Srarfi starters against Ajax |url=https://www.beinsports.com/france/uefa-ligue-des-champions/news/nice-lees-melou-et-srarfi-titulaires-contre-l/604496 |access-date=18 April 2022 |publisher=beIN Sports |date=26 July 2017 |language=French}} After being eliminated in the play-offs by Napoli, the team competed in the UEFA Europa League, and he played all but one game in a run to the last 32.
In September 2020, having played over 100 games for Nice, Lees-Melou's contract was extended for one year.{{cite news |last1=Bacquié |first1=Maxime |title=Pierre Lees-Melou prolonge son contrat avec l'OGC Nice|trans-title=Pierre Lees-Melou extends his contract with OGC Nice |url=https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/football/pierre-lees-melou-prolonge-son-contrat-avec-l-ogc-nice-1600442895 |access-date=18 April 2022 |publisher=France Bleu |date=18 September 2020 |language=French}} His four season-stay ended with 140 games and 18 goals.
=Norwich City=
On 13 July 2021, Lees-Melou signed a three-year deal with Norwich City for a fee of under £6 million, ahead of the team's return to the Premier League.{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Michael |title=Norwich sign Nice midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou|url=https://theathletic.com/news/pierre-lees-melou-norwich-transfer/1kYdtc126PRj/ |access-date=18 April 2022 |work=The Athletic |date=13 July 2021}} He scored his first goal the following 10 April, opening a 2–0 home win over relegation rivals Burnley; after the game, striker Teemu Pukki said that he would be crucial for the rest of the season.{{cite news |last1=Mutch |first1=Michael |title=Norwich City duo issue verdict on Pierre Lees-Melou after first goal in Burnley victory |url=https://www.norfolklive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/norwich-pierre-lees-melou-burnley-6946083 |access-date=18 April 2022 |publisher=Norfolk Live |date=13 April 2022}}
=Brest=
On 23 July 2022, Lees-Melou signed for Ligue 1 side Brest on a three-year contract with an option for a further year. Norwich City received a reported €2.3 million transfer fee and a 10% sell-on clause.{{Cite web |date=23 July 2022 |title=Official {{!}} Brest sign Pierre Lees-Melou from Norwich |url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2022/official-brest-sign-pierre-lees-melou-from-norwich/ |access-date=23 July 2022 |website=Get French Football News}} In November 2023, he extended his contract with Brest until June 2027.{{cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Lees-melou-le-douaron-et-del-castillo-prolongent-a-brest/1432143 |title=Lees-Melou, Le Douaron et Del Castillo prolongent à Brest |publisher=L'Équipe |language=fr |date=17 November 2023 }}
In February 2024, he was named Ligue 1 player of the month.{{Cite web |title=Pierre Lees-Melou (Brest) élu joueur du mois de février en Ligue 1 |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Pierre-lees-melou-brest-elu-joueur-du-mois-de-fevrier-en-ligue-1/1455676 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=L'Équipe |language=fr}} A month later, he was invited by French national coach Didier Deschamps for the friendly matches in March; however, he declined the call-up, stating that "the step is too high."{{cite web |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Pierre-lees-melou-brest-estime-que-la-marche-est-trop-haute-pour-les-bleus/1452988 |title=Pierre Lees-Melou (Brest) estime que " la marche est trop haute " pour les Bleus |publisher=L'Équipe |language=fr |date=20 March 2024 }} He was eventually named in the Team of the Year for the 2023–24 season, producing the highest number of possessions won in over 269 occasions. By the end of that season, Brest secured a third-place finish in the league and first ever qualification to the UEFA Champions League.{{cite web |url=https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/Match-Reports/2024/05/19/brest-clinch-automatic-ucl-spot-after-win-over-toulouse |title=Brest Clinch Automatic UCL Spot After Win Over Toulouse |publisher=Ligue 1 |date=19 May 2024 }}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 22 November 2024}}{{cite web|title=P. Lees Melou|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/pierre-lees-melou/312701/|website=Soccerway|accessdate=16 January 2018}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Coupe de la Ligue, EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3"|{{Interlanguage link|US Lège-Cap-Ferret|lt=Lège-Cap-Ferret|fr|Union sportive de Lège-Cap-Ferre}}
|24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 24 | 3 | |||
| 2014–15
|CFA 2 |26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 26 | 10 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!50 | 13 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2" |— | 50 | 13 | |||
| Dijon B
|CFA 2 |7 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 2 | ||||
| rowspan="3"|Dijon
|16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17
|32 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 7 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!48 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 52 | 9 | ||
| rowspan="5"|Nice
|Ligue 1 |34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11{{efn|Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 47 | 5 | |
| 2018–19
|Ligue 1 |30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20
|Ligue 1 |26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 6 | ||
| 2020–21
|Ligue 1 |29 | 4 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 33 | 5 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!119 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 140 | 18 | |
| Norwich City
|33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 37 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="4"|Brest
|Ligue 1 |32 | 5 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 6 | |||
| 2023–24
|Ligue 1 |29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 31 | 4 | |||
| 2024–25
|Ligue 1 |6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearance in UEFA Champions League}} | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!67 | 9 | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 1 | 73 | 11 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!324 | 50 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 359 | 54 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2023–24{{Cite web |title=Trophées UNFP : sept joueurs du PSG dans l'équipe type de la saison 2023-2024 en Ligue 1 |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Trophees-unfp-sept-joueurs-du-psg-dans-l-equipe-type-de-la-saison-2023-2024-en-ligue-1/1467415 |access-date=13 May 2024 |date=13 May 2024 |website=L'Équipe |language=fr}}
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: February 2024{{cite web |date=19 March 2024 |title=Pierre Lees-Melou, joueur du mois de février de la Ligue 1 Uber Eats! |trans-title=Pierre Lees-Melou, Ligue 1 Uber Eats player of the month for February! |url=https://www.unfp.org/2024/03/pierre-lees-melou-joueur-du-mois-de-fevrier-de-la-ligue-1-uber-eats/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |publisher=National Union of Professional Footballers |language=fr}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [http://www.foot-national.com/18882-joueur-football-Lees-Melou-Pierre.html Pierre Lees-Melou] at foot-national.com
- {{Soccerway|pierre-lees-melou/312701}}
- {{LFP|lees-melou-pierre}}
{{Stade Brestois 29 squad}}
{{2023–24 Ligue 1 UNFP Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lees-Melou, Pierre}}
Category:People from Langon, Gironde
Category:Footballers from Gironde
Category:French men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:US Lège Cap Ferret players
Category:Norwich City F.C. players
Category:Stade Brestois 29 players
Category:Championnat National 3 players
Category:Premier League players
Category:French expatriate men's footballers
Category:French expatriate sportspeople in England