Today, Seattle Reign confirmed the signing of 25-year-old forward Nerilia Mondesir. The Haiti international joins from Montpellier, France, on a contract until 2026, with a mutual option for 2027.

Looking for expert opinion on the player, I got in touch with French women’s football journalist and commentator Daniel Marques. Daniel can be found on Twitter/X at @Daniel_MRQ. I highly recommend you follow him.

Here’s what he had to say about Mondesir—the tactical environment she has played in, her skill set, strengths, weaknesses, and potential suitability with Seattle in the NWSL.

WSR: Nerilia Mondesir has been with Montpellier for her entire pro career. How would you describe their playing style?

DM: Last season, 4-3-3 with speed on the wings. To be honest, the style of play of Montpellier is very hard to describe this year. The team has been so inconsistent, exploiting counter-attacks, in the 3-0 win over Reims, for example, and [otherwise] being totally out-passed and doing nothing with the ball. For me, the team with the type of players they have in the attack line was better for counter-attacks, but the midfield line was better for possession style.

What would you say are the most important aspects of Mondesir’s attacking game? Does she excel specifically in any of: dribbling, running, passing, crossing or shooting? Or does she provide a mix of all the above?

Mondesir completed the third-most dribbles last season in Arkema Premiere Ligue (45) with a good ratio (60% completion). [It’s] clearly one of her main strengths with her pace, but she has still a lack of conclusion in front of the goalkeeper. To give you an idea, she has the third-worst rate between her xG and her goals in the league last season among all players in the division (-2.3, five goals for 7.31 xG).

Over the last three years, Mondesir’s output of goals and assists has increased. What is the reason for that increase, in your opinion?

For me, it’s partially because the team changed. In her first years at Montpellier, the club had other players to score the goals (Valerie Gauvin, Marie-Charlotte Leger, Lena Petermann), giving her less place on the field. She was really confined to occupying its [wings], notably in the 4-2-3-1 with Gauvin in front. With the 4-4-2 in 2020/21 with Petermann, she started to make more assists, four on the season. And with the 4-3-3 / 4-4-2 alternation in the following seasons, she was able to reposition herself more in front, work on her finishing and show herself to be more decisive.

Have we seen the best of Mondesir already at Montpellier, or is there more to come? What parts of her game—if any—do you think she could improve?

We have seen a big part, I think. She has a lot of room [for] improvement on the finishing, I think. She isn’t a great finisher, clearly. With a better finish and a bit more head lift, she can still go one step further.

Some attackers thrive with freedom on and off the ball. Would you say Mondesir requires positional and decision-making freedom to play well? Or is she comfortable within a more rigid system with more specific instructions?

It depends. For me, total freedom won’t work. To take another Haiti player, [Melchie] Dumornay is far better in this role, far more complete in all categories. I think Mondesir is good with another side striker to complete each other, or on a wing in a three-front attack, with clear instruction and maybe a little bit of freedom. She hasn’t demonstrated that she can hold the team play or turn the result…only two or three times against “easier” opponents like Soyaux or Issy.

Would you describe Mondesir as a soloist, or a team player? Does she thrive in isolation, or when her teammates play closely with her and combine with her?

Soloist style on her wing, but she can come in and respect a system of play depending on the occasion.

Laura Harvey teams are always defensively well-organised. With the Seattle Reign, can Mondesir help with pressing, recovery and good positioning? Or would you say she is purely an attacker?

No, she can clearly help to press and recover the ball. Among strikers in [the] Premiere Ligue last season, she was one of the top in possession won, and also in possession won in the final third of the field (26, with Kadidiatou Diani first on 29). She can give a lot on the field and [has] a lot of energy, it’s one of her strengths.

Seattle are one of the most direct attacking sides in the NWSL. How well do you think Mondesir suits a team that incorporates a lot of long balls and high, early crosses into the box?

[It] would be pretty similar as some Montpellier games this year: 50% possession average, [not many] build-up attacks. Montpellier was as I said very unpredictable but a lot of times a direct attack team. She has the pace to do so, but still, sometimes the lack of precision.

The NWSL is renowned for its physicality and pace. Still, technical players have thrived moving from France, like Ouleymata Sarr and Claire Lavogez. Do you see Mondesir settling similarly well in this tactical environment?

Yes, I think she is up on these two criteria. France is more physical [than] a lot of people think but also technical. Mondesir has proven that on the pace and physical side, she has nothing to worry about. For me, if Sarr or Lavogez, even [Clarisse] Le Bihan, have managed to play there, nothing will stop her [from] doing so.

Thanks again to Daniel Marques for his time and insight.