Niels Patrick Nkounkou

Niels Patrick Nkounkou is a French defender born in Pontoise on 1 November 2000. He developed at Cergy Pontoise FC before joining Marseille in 2017, spending three years in its academy and reserve setup. In July 2020, Nkounkou moved to Everton and made his senior debut in the EFL Cup against Salford City before appearing in the Premier League against Newcastle United. He later gained experience on loan at Standard Liège, Cardiff City and Saint-Étienne. At Saint-Étienne in 2023, he recorded six goals and seven assists in half a season, emerging as an attacking left-sided option. The club activated his purchase option before selling Nkounkou to Eintracht Frankfurt, where he signed a five-year contract and scored on debut against Köln. At Frankfurt, he operates from the left, offering width, overlapping runs and recovery work while continuing to develop defensively.