Manchester United are reportedly closing in on the signing of Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara.
The Red Devils are five points behind fourth-place Arsenal having played two games lesser than the Gunners. New interim manager Ralf Rangnick has overseen a positive start to his tenure at Old Trafford with back-to-back 1-0 Premier League wins over Crystal Palace and Norwich City respectively. And to boost the club’s top-four hopes, the German tactician is keen to take a dip in the winter transfer window.
According to Four Four Two, Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara could be confirmed as Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s first signing in the early days of the January window. As the French midfielder has entered the final seven months of his contract, the deal to sign him from Marseille is set to cost around £10m, the report adds.
Having come through the youth ranks at Marseille, Kamara, 22, has gone on to make over 140 appearances to date. The former France under-21 international has impressed at the heart of midfield for Jorge Sampaoli’s side this season, registering a goal in 19 games across all competitions.
Boubacar Kamara to Manchester United—The perfect player for the Red Devils?
Boubacar Kamara wants to run down his contract at the Orange Velodrome and leave on a free transfer at the end of the season. And the Frenchman’s unwillingness to sign a new contract and move away from the Ligue 1 club has alerted Manchester United, who could be in for a potential crisis in midfield ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard are out of contracts in the summer of 2022 and the duo seem destined to leave as free agents as expected by many. Nemanja Matic is 33 and well past his prime, while Donny Van de Beek’s future remains up in the air.
Fred and Scott McTominay have impressed in recent weeks under Rangnick but Man United need more quality than the duo in midfield to challenge the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea for the Premier League title next season. As things stand, a defensive midfielder is a no-brainer and Kamara would be perfect for the Red Devils.
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Boubacar Kamara can also operate at centre-back and do a solid job. He is a good passer of the ball, excels in breaking up the opposition’s play with his tackling and game-reading skills and works really hard in the middle of the park. A robust ball-winner, the 22-year-old would add some much-needed balance to Man United’s midfield whilst giving more security to their backline.
Considered as one of French football’s hottest talents, Kamara could come in at Old Trafford as a long-term replacement for the ageing Matic. He would improve depth and competition within the side’s midfield ranks as well.
All in all, Manchester United would bag a massive coup of sorts if they can wrap up a deal for the French schemer in the region of £10m next month.