Our ultra-reliable colleagues at La Voix du Nord report that Premier League duo Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are currently in active discussions to sign 20-year-old Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumaré, potentially as early as next month.
Between six and eight European clubs are currently in ongoing discussions with either Soumaré’s entourage or Lille about a possible transfer. LOSC are demanding between €50m to €60m in order to part with a player who still has another 2.5 years on his current contract.
In England, Manchester United and Tottenham are in discussions, whilst Wolves have dropped out of the conversation after making a big effort that ultimately failed last summer to convince the young Frenchman. In Italy, Napoli have opened discussions this week and in Spain, Real Madrid and Valencia continue to hold talks in relation to a potential deal.
Lille are relaxed about the possibility of a deal that would see Soumaré leave the club in January and then be loaned back until the end of the season. Lille bosses are not concerned about a potential departure of the player without him being loaned back either, although they would prefer if he was. They feel that in Renato Sanches, Benjamin André and Xeka that they have more than enough talent to cover if Soumaré was to exit.