Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United could all make their move for highly-rated Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare, according to Sky Sports.
The report suggests that a deal for the in-demand youngster could be finalised in the next week to 10 days, with the Ligue 1 side likely to cash in on Soumare this month.
Chelsea host Arsenal on January 21st, so there’s a possibility the midfielder could make his first appearance in the Premier League in the London derby, should he complete a switch to either side.
Real Madrid and Valencia are thought to be keen on the Frenchman, who actually turned out against Chelsea earlier this season in the Champions League.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is also thought to be a big admirer and is also hoping to add the youngster to his Spurs side, according to L’Equipe, cited by Marca.
The 20-year-old has been a regular for Lille over the past three seasons but looks set to move on over the coming weeks, despite having two-and-a-half years left on his current deal.
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There’s been plenty of Premier League interest in Soumare, and it seems as if Chelsea could make a late surge for the box-to-box midfielder.
The recent report has compared Soumare to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba and an injection of quality in the middle of the park appears to be what the Blues need.
Lampard has been heavily reliant on N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in a defensive midfield role.
World Cup winner Kante has turned out 14 times in the Premier League, while Italian Jorginho has missed just two top-flight fixtures (Whoscored.com).
Bringing in Soumare would help the Blues in the middle of the park, and the youngster’s versatility could be vital in years to come.
Soumare’s technical ability and physicality could see him dominate Premier League midfields, so it would be a real coup if Chelsea won the race for the midfielder.
