Five Ligue 1 players Man Utd should scout this season

Robin Bairner

Updated: 1 Aug 2022 12:47 BST
13 min read

Malo Gusto, France U21, 2022 — © ProShots

Manchester United’s Erik ten Hag revolution will not take place over the course of a single summer.

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The Red Devils will have scouts sent all over Europe to sound out the most promising transfer options for the year ahead, and though Ten Hag is naturally at home signing players from the Eredivisie, his club will be keeping tabs on talent from across Europe.

Ligue 1 will be one of those leagues that Man Utd will be watching closely, with France’s top flight having built a reputation as a fine breeding ground for talent.

With PSG’s defence of their trophy set to kick off this weekend, here are five players that Man Utd would be well advised to track.

Malo Gusto (Lyon)

Erik ten Hag took an interest in Lens right-back Jonathan Clauss this summer, but after the France international moved to Marseille, he is a player who is unlikely to be revisited. Instead, young Lyon full-back Malo Gusto is a player that many clubs will have their eyes on this season.

The 19-year-old is a product of the club’s academy system and, like many players who come through the ranks, is a local of Lyon. He made a strong impression last season, playing 37 first-team matches and creating three goals.

Gusto is a player who will only improve and is surely destined for greater things.

Khephren Thuram (Nice)

Manchester United are in the market for a technical central midfielder who can control the pace of their play at the base of their midfield, so they should be keeping a keen eye on how Khephren Thuram develops. The son of World Cup winner Lilian, the pedigree in his family is strong: brother Marcus is also a France international.

Khephren is heading in the same direction and was regarded as one of the leading central midfielders in France last season – and he only turned 20 in May. Look for him to take another step this season and come onto the radar of some leading clubs.

Thuram vs Ligue 1 central midfielders: 2021/22

Youssouf Fofana (Monaco)

Fofana is another central midfielder that Man Utd should be keeping close tabs on. Aged 23, he is already a regular in a Monaco side that will be playing Champions League football next season, and this term he will seek to come into the spotlight following Aurelien Tchouameni’s move to Real Madrid.

He is a deep-lying player who combines strong technical performance with expert defensive work, making him a well-rounded addition to any midfield.

Having been in the shadows last season, look for him to experience a breakout year in a Monaco side that has plenty of momentum right now.

Kamaldeen Sulemana (Rennes)

Manchester United tracked Ghana international Kamaldeen while he was still playing in Denmark, but look for the 20-year-old to gain more momentum this time around. He showed glimpses of his undoubted potential during his first season in France, in which he netted four Ligue 1 goals, but his efforts were hampered by international duty and back trouble.

In an exciting Rennes team, he will be given more opportunities this time around and he is expected to grasp them. With Man Utd in need of wide attackers, this promising young talent is a player who fits the bill.

Moussa Dembele (Lyon)

Dembele has long been associated with Man Utd, but the centre-forward has never quite shown the form to step up to the Premier League. With uncertainty over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, though, the Red Devils will be in the market for another centre forward sooner or later.

After a poor start to last season, Dembele came back into form in 2022 and finished the Ligue 1 season with an impressive 21 goals in 30 appearances.

He scored nine times in the last seven matches of the campaign, and if he can get close to that over the course of a full campaign, the 26-year-old will suddenly be a very viable target for big clubs once more.