‘We think he can be a top, top talent’

Ipswich Town manager Gary O’Neil is confident that Abdoul Ouattara has the potential to become a ‘top, top talent’.

The right-back has made a big impression since arriving at Portman Road from O’Neil’s former club Strasbourg for a fee of £17m during the summer.

And he played a particularly key role in yesterday’s 2-1 victory over Fulham, with Ouattara’s stunning late equaliser being followed by captain Dara O’Shea’s winner.

Discussing the 20-year-old, O’Neil said: “He’s good. It took us a little while to get him up to speed. He missed a whole of pre-season with a slight back issue in Strasbourg, so we weren’t able to get him into the team as quickly as I would have liked, probably.

“He can play right-back, left-back, six, eight and 10. I played him 10 in the semi-final of the Conference League last year against Vallecano.

“He’s a talented boy. He’s obviously incredibly athletic as well. He has big qualities. But he has a lot of work to do. We’re working hard with him on some little gaps in his game. Maybe they’re not showing up, which is great, but we’re working very hard with him on making sure that we make him better.

“We think he can be a top, top talent, but still work to do. Just not on his left foot shooting for 30 yards, he seems to have figured that out himself! But some work to do on a few other bits.”