Strasbourg were bought out by Chelsea's Todd Boehly and BlueCo, his investment vehicle, in June, and have invested heavily in the playing squad since, signing the likes of Emanuel Emegha from Sturm Graz and Angelo Gabriel on loan from the Blues.

But while those final third operators are full of promise, the most potent attacking force at the Stade de la Meinau this season has been a 25-year-old midfielder who has been on the books for four years.

Bellegarde has had a hand in all four goals Strasbourg have scored this season - in victories over Olympique Lyonnais and Toulouse FC - scoring twice and assisting two more, and has understandably attracted admiring glances from Stamford Bridge and beyond…

Back story:

Born in Colombes, a commune in the north west of Paris, on 27 June 1998, Bellegarde shares a hometown with Steven Nzonzi and Eliaquim Mangala - FIFA World Cup and Premier League winners respectively - and a birthdate with two French kings in Louis XII and Charles IX.

To say he was destined for the top from the start might be an overstatement, but Bellegarde came up through the youth academy at RC Lens having previously been at Le Mans FC, and was handed his debut for les Sang et Or in Ligue 2 BKT in July 2016 just a month past his 18th birthday.

He was promoted to the first team on a full-time basis the following season and became a France youth international during his time at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, and was even named captain at 19 before leaving for Strasbourg in the summer of 2019.

Bellegarde kept working on his game at le Racing, and after being used sparingly in his first season has become one of the first names on the teamsheet under successive managers in Thierry Laurey, Julien Stéphan, Frédéric Antonetti and now Vieira.

Style of play:

Bellegarde is an all-action midfielder who makes up for his relative lack of stature - he stands at 5'7" tall - with an effervescence that few opponents have been able to contain in recent weeks and months.

As well as his four-goal-involvements this season - plundered at a rate of one every 68 minutes he has played - Bellegarde has averaged four progressive carries per game over the last year, putting him in the top percentile among all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues per UEFA coefficient in that regard.

Current campaign:

Bellegarde scored Strasbourg's first goal of the campaign, steering a free-kick beyond Rémy Riou before squaring for Lebo Mothiba to make it two in le Racing's opening day 2-0 win over Lyon.

He and his teammates had what now looks to have been a rare off day as Ligue 1 Uber Eats leaders AS Monaco then beat Strasbourg 3-0, but he was back on top against Toulouse last Sunday, crossing for Emegha to open his account before converting like a penalty-box predator to secure another 2-0 win.

Haiti previously tried to call Bellegarde, who qualifies for the Caribbean country through his parentage, for the COCNCACAF Gold Cup in 2019, and at this rate the race could now be on for his international future.

Watch: Highlights of Strasbourg's 2-0 win over Toulouse

What they said:

"He already had good liveliness and great speed. "He's always been very intelligent and, from his second season at Lens, was ahead of everyone else. He worked hard to get there. Today, it's a source of pride to see a young man from the suburbs doing well."

- Bellegarde's first coach, Steeve Koulekpatou

"My short stature's never been a handicap. I've always avoided duels. I got into the habit of playing with my head. I'm pretty lively, technical, and fast, and I like to make things happen. I also defend, but it's hard to talk about yourself. I can still improve my long game and positioning."

- Bellegarde's game, analysed by Bellegarde

"I think the coach wanted to give me more confidence and responsibility. It gave me more confidence and helped me to develop. My teammates were happy which made me happy. It opened up my game, made me more comfortable. I took more risks. I was scared at first but it made me who I am and I'm proud of it."

- Bellegarde on being made Lens captain by Eric Sikora