Mario Lemina

Mercedes


The Gabonese midfielder is known to be a speed demon, infamous for recording the highest United Kingdom speeding fine of £96,425.

Born in Libreville, Gabon, he moved to France at a very young age and began his footballing journey with the youth academy of Lorient at the age of 11, after six years of progressing through their ranks he was promoted to the first-team ahead of the 2012/13 season, he appeared 14 times for Les Merlus before moving to fellow French club Olympique de Marseille in the following season. After a difficult start at the Stadé Vélodrome the midfielder slowly found his footing in his second season with Les Phocéens, making 23 apperances and scoring 3 goals, helping the club to a fourth-placed finish in Ligue 1. On 31 August 2015 the man from Gabon rejected advances of various Premier League clubs to sign for Serie A giants Juventus on a season long loan with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season, On April 2016 The Old Lady signed the midfielder for a fee of €9.5 million to replace the departing Paul Pogba. Although he would never cement a place in the first-team, his time at Juventus would be a massive success in terms of silverware, in 42 appearances for The Bianconeri he won back-to-back domestic double of Serie A and Copa Italia in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 season. A lack of playing time eventually led to his departure from Turin as the Gabonese midfielder signed for English club Southampton for a club record fee of £15.4 million ahead of the 2018/19 Premier League season.