Wycombe Wanderers will need a new, long term left winger. While Sam Bell has played well in the position so far this season as Wycombe’s top scorer with six goals and one assist in 14 matches, he is a loanee from Bristol City and there is no guarantee he will stay with Wycombe in the long term.
James Tilley at present would likely be the backup option at left wing long-term, but has only been given minutes sparingly by Michael Duff with just 158 minutes across six league matches, last appearing for Wycombe in their 4-0 loss to Exeter in the FA cup.
Wycombe need a dynamic, young winger who can grow with the club’s ambitions as they continue to fight for promotion in the long term. Salford City’s Kelly N’Mai fits this mold well.
An incredibly versatile player who can play almost every attacking position, the Dutchman has excelled as both a striker in a two-man partnership or as a winger on the left hand side.
He would fit well as a left winger in Wycombe’s 4-2-3-1 system given his sheer speed and ability with the ball at his feet, managing an immense 1.85 successful dribbles per match, 48.5 touches per match and 2.08 fouls won per match. He can run at defences with purpose and directness.
While he only has two goals and no assists in the league, this isn’t entirely accurate of his threat in the final third with the young attacker making 10 chances for Salford this season (Fred Onyedinma has two assists from 14 chances made on the opposite wing). He makes 68.7% of his passes accurately, meaning that that winger isn’t a one trick pony only capable of running at defences, but can also pass inside or find good chances for other attackers.
Generally speaking, Bell is better at his scoring ability on the left wing than N’Mai, but his natural dribbling ability combined with his already solid passing combine to make a very interesting creative threat that can also arrive late in the box to score.
Given his ability to play in nearly every position across the front four slots of Wycombe’s attack from left wing to right wing, and both as a striker and attacking midfielder, N’Mai would also be an excellent rotational option initially as he adapts to League One football.
Crucially to any Wycombe attempt at a transfer N’Mai would also likely be out of contract in the summer, with the 21-year-old having agreed a two year contract in August of 2024. Whilst there is always the possibility of a hidden extension, as it stands N’Mai would be available on a free (albeit with compensation due to Salford as he is under 24).
Salford are currently competing for promotion which would also complicate things, and they would be faced with the tricky question of allowing a good player to leave for a fee, or risk losing him for less if they can’t agree new terms for the youngster. Wycombe fans will be familiar with this gambit themselves, with the club turning down bids for Joe Low and Richard Kone last winter in a bid to maintain its promotion fight.
N’Mai would be a potentially high quality future addition to the left wing slot, and would give some long term stability in a position that, at present, Wycombe don’t have with Bell.
