Manchester United are interested in signing young French midfielder Boubakary Soumare from Lille. Soumare, who joined Lille in 2017 from Paris Saint-Germain, is one of the most promising midfielders in the French league.
As per ESPN, United could make a move for the 20-year-old in the January transfer window with a fee of about €35 to €40 million being touted but as an alternative, could wait till the summer when he can leave on a free transfer as his contract with Lille expires in 2020. The report states that Soumare is one of two French players that Manchester United are interested in, with the other being Lyon’s Moussa Dembele.
Soumare has made 52 appearances for the Lille senior team in all competitions since debuting in 2017. In the current season, the young Frenchman has made 16 appearances in all competitions. The youngster has represented his country from the U16 level to U21 but has yet to make his senior national team debut.
Soumare has been likened to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba (even though he is not as adept in the final third), who he could replace if Pogba leaves in January or the summer transfer window. The 20-year-old who stands at 6’2″ is a strong and powerful figure in the middle of the park. Soumare is primarily a defensive midfielder but can play a little ahead as a central midfielder as well.
The youngster uses his strength to motor on from midfield and move quickly with the ball at his feet and is a box-to-box midfielder who can be very useful in counter-attacking situations. Soumare has averaged 1.4 dribbles per game this year in the league, while also being neat while passing the ball, completing 88.9% of his passes this season in the league.
He is a useful tackler as well, averaging 1.1 tackles per game, but it is an area that he has to improve on if he is to play at a big club like Manchester United.
The 20-year-old would be a good signing for Manchester United as he is young and has potential to grow, while he could be signed for nothing if United wait till the summer transfer window. While he does not have the assists or goals that Paul Pogba showcased in his youth, Soumare offers strength, power, and a willingness to run all day, which could benefit United’s midfield.
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