Manchester United transfer blow in race for £30 million star

Manchester United are expected to strengthen in a few positions in the upcoming summer transfer window. One of them is defensive midfield.

With Nemanja Matic set to turn 33 at the start of next season, the Red Devils must start preparing for the future. And one defensive midfielder that they have been linked for quite some time is Lille’s Boubakary Soumare.

The 22-year-old has been immense for Lille this season as they sit at the top of the Ligue 1 table with a 3 point lead over Paris Saint-Germain.

Soumare is a box-to-box midfielder with a brilliant ability to carry the ball up the pitch and possesses a great eye for a pass too. The defensive part of his game is good as well and it is not hard to see why he is so highly rated.

More from Manchester United News

• Aaron Wan Bissaka out for ‘several weeks’ with injury
• Sofyan Amrabat set to miss game against Brighton
• Preview: Manchester United vs Brighton – What you need to know
• Jadon Sancho set to train away from first team squad
• Mike Phelan blasts Manchester United teammates over Ronaldo exit

Manchester United fall behind in race for Soumare

As reported by Daily Star, Leicester City have overtaken Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign the youngster. And The Foxes are now believed to be increasingly confident of their chances of signing the £30 million-rated midfielder.

This will surely be a blow to the hopes of the Red Devils, who have been linked with a move for Soumare for quite some time now and failing to sign him would mean that their search for a defensive midfielder will continue.

There are other positions in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side that need more immediate reinforcements though, namely striker, centre-back and right wing. But it will be interesting to see if the club end up going for a different defensive midfielder if they do fail to sign Soumare in the summer.

In the modern day transfer market, signing a player with his potential for a fee in the region of £30 million would surely be considered as a shrewd move.