Getting to know Serhou Guirassy, one of Europe's hottest strikers

Serhou Guirassy’s rise to the top of the Bundesliga goalscoring charts is something no one had expected. After a journeyman career that took him across France and Germany, Guirassy landed in Stuttgart in 2022 at the age of 26. His $10 million transfer tag at the time of the transfer has almost quadrupled due to his prolific goalscoring nature. Linked with Chelsea, Bayern, Tottenham, and Fulham, Guirassy has been one of the hottest topics of this season.

But why has this “unknown” striker suddenly burst into the mainstream? What makes him so special? And how can Champions League teams profit from his presence?

Why he’s succeeding at Stuttgart

Guirassy isn’t a completely “unknown” striker. He found success in Ligue 1 with Rennes in 2020-22, scoring 25 goals in 81 appearances. He led the front line in Rennes’ Champions League campaign in 2020 alongside Jeremy Doku, Edouardo Camavinga, Edouard Mendy, and Raphinha. Guirassy gained relevance as a solid hold-up player who could score from tight angles and even pull a trick or two out of his hat. He was compared to Moussa Dembélé and Romelu Lukaku.

He exploded partly because he had more playing time and opportunities than ever. At Rennes, he competed with Gaëtan Laborde, who gobbled up playing time in Ligue 1. However, at Stuttgart, Guirassy played a huge role in his two seasons.

Stuttgart usually lines up with two wingers, an attacking midfielder, and a center-forward. Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß has the wingers, Silas and Chris Führich, simply stick out wide, complete dribbles across the sideline, and make a lot of crosses, something that would only be common 50 years ago. The attacking midfielder, Enzo Milliot, also completes a lot of crosses, and his main purpose is to link the attack with the midfield, he does a lot to create chances for Guirassy. At Stuttgart, Guirassy is the center of the offense.

This offensive system is the reason why he has over a quarter of the team’s total shots (31), over half of the team’s goals (14), and a third of the team’s shots on target (17). Although the methods differ, the results are the same; Guirassy has become the Bundesliga’s new Haaland. So far, defenses have been unable to control him, with top-tier squads like Dortmund and Union Berlin. His good form seems set to continue.

What to expect

Guirassy suffered a hamstring injury in Stuttgart’s win over Union Berlin, missing a good month of action. He returned to action in a 2-1 win over Dortmund, scoring a goal in just 23 minutes played. He’ll definitely come back at full strength following this international break.

His Transfermarkt value has skyrocketed from $10 million in the summer to $40 million, with nearly every big club linked with the Guinean goalscorer. It looks likely Stuttgart will cash out on Guirassy due to their dangerous financial state, so teams can start placing their bids as soon as July.

Stuttgart is third in Bundesliga, and will certainly contend for a top-four spot in the Bundesliga. They have a real chance of contending for a Champions League berth, their first appearance in 15 years.

Whether or not Guirassy will be there for those Champions League matches wearing a Stuttgart shirt, it’s unlikely given his current track record.

PHOTO CREDIT: IMAGO / Sportfoto Rudel