Man Utd ahead of Milan in race to sign Soumare

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Man Utd are in the lead to sign Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare ahead of Milan, according to transfer expect Vito Angele.

Soumare is one of the highest-rated talents in French football and is believed to be on the verge of a call-up to the France national team.

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He made his debut for Lille in the 2017/18 campaign, and has gone on to make 30 starts for the club in Ligue 1 in the seasons since, including seven in the 2020/21 campaign.

Milan have been searching for a powerful young midfielder and Soumare fits the identikit of the player technical director Paolo Maldini is searching for.

However, according to one of the best connected Milan transfer journalists, Man Utd are the favourites to sign the 21-year-old.

“He is an important player but I don’t think he will be coming to Serie A,” Angele exclusively told The Italian Football Podcast.

“Man Utd are working on him and they are the favourites to sign him right now.

Soumare in 2020/21:

“Lille are also asking a high price for him which is too much for Milan.”

Angele also revealed that Man Utd wish to bring Diogo Dalot back to the club when his one-year loan at San Siro expires at the end of the season.

“Dalot is playing very well, even against Juventus on Wednesday he was very good,” Angele added. 

“Milan would like to keep him but Man Utd believes in Dalot and so we will have to wait and see what happens.”

Man Utd or Milan could be the beneficiaries of Lille’s major financial troubles, which have compounded by the current pandemic as well as the breakdown of a major broadcasting contract.

The club is now in a position where it could be forced to sell some of their star players.