Let's take a moment to delve into the rather unremarkable career of Ziyad Larkeche, a lad born in France on 19th September 2002, making him a sprightly 22 years of age, if my calendar serves me right. His living quarters are now undoubtedly lined with Dundee F.C. paraphernalia as the defender, who makes a living primarily as a left-back, graces the pitch donned in jersey number 21. For those coveting the measurables, the lad stands at a respectable 5ft 11in (1.82m) and tips the scale at a slender 10st 7lb (67kg).
For your potential football fantasy draft or a spirited pub debate, Larkeche's current market value hovers around a measly £290,000. Surely, a bargain in this inflation-riddled economy, or is it? This precious nugget of information is courtesy of Transfermarkt, your one-stop-shop for football trivia. Mind you, the lad is stuck in his contract with Dundee until 31 May 2025, by when we'd all have aged graciously by another 8 months.
Now, if you've found this drivel mildly intriguing so far, allow me to further indulge you in Larkeche's awfully ordinary career tale. His 2022 - 2023 debut season with Barnsley, tucked away in England, resulted in a grand total of 12 first team appearances, a statistic that will forever be etched in the annals of obscurity.
The following year, the Queens Park Rangers squad in England must've keenly felt the pinch of desperation as they entrusted Larkeche with 20 appearances for the first team. A move as earth-shattering as a kitten's miaow, I daresay.
In the current season of 2024 - 2025, he has graced Dundee's pitch a staggering ten times and, to his credit, managed to tickle the net twice. A notable feat for a defender, wouldn't you say? And it appears the lad must have a hint of masochism, willingly participating in the League Cup 2024 - 2025, with two starts adorning his evidently spare record.
