Olympique Lyon striker Moussa Dembele has refused to rule out a move away from France amid interest from Manchester United, it has been revealed.
As per a report by Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are mulling over a £40 million move for Moussa Dembele.
The Lyon attacker is aware of their interest and has refused to rule out a move away from the Olympic Stadium this summer.
“I signed for five years with Lyon and I’m happy there but we’ll see what happens.
“I’m happy to stay with Lyon next season but we’ll see,” Dembele said, in regards to his long-term future at the club.
Moussa Dembele: A shrewd move by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Dembele joined Lyon last summer for a fee of €22 million, and has enjoyed an impressive campaign in the French top flight, having scored 15 goals in 32 games so far this season. He has also mustered five assists, making him the most productive attacker for Lyon this season, just ahead of Memphis Depay.
As for Manchester United, they have struggled with their offensive productivity in the last few seasons. Star forward Romelu Lukaku has failed to find the back of the net consistently while Marcus Rashford, who was in sublime form following the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, scored just one goal in his last eleven games.
The addition of Dembele, to that end, would add more freshness to the attack as the Norwegian looks to kickstart a new era at Old Trafford next season. The Frenchman, unlike Lukaku, will offer mobility and pace in the final third, making United much more dangerous on the counter.
Dembele’s pace allows him to make darting runs in behind the backline, and unlike Lukaku, he can take on players and beat them with a good piece of skill.
Additionally, the 22-year-old loves to test the ‘keeper, having averaged a whopping 2.8 shots per game. His biggest, asset, however, is his lethal finishing. The Frenchman has netted 51 goals in 84 competitive matches during his time at Celtic, and has also impressed in France by scoring 15 goals so far this season.
Dembele tunes in well with the counter-attack oriented game Manchester United are trying to implement under Solskjaer. But, it remains doubtful whether or not he will be able to make the transition to the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.
And at the age of 22 and with so little experience, living up to Manchester United’s soaring expectations might be difficult for the Frenchman.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
