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Manchester United: Some fans can’t believe links Moussa Dembele and Boubakary Soumare

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Some Manchester United fans can’t believe that the club has been linked with moves for Lyon’s Moussa Dembele and Lille’s Boubakary Soumare.

A report from ESPN has claimed that the Red Devils are looking to sign the French duo and they say that United have been keeping a close eye on them for a while now.

The report also states that United see Soumare as a possible replacement for Paul Pogba, while Dembele will be keen on moving back to England if a chance comes his way.

But some United fans can’t believe the news and feel this is a case of being hopeful.

Still 20, Soumare has appeared ten times in Ligue 1 for Lille this season. He is predominantly a defensive midfielder but can play further forward as a central midfielder too.

He is yet to score or assist but this is his first full season for the club as he made only five starts in the league last season.

As far as Dembele is concerned, the former Celtic and Fulham man has appeared ten times in the league for Lyon this season. He has found the back of the net as many as seven times, also scoring three for the club in the Coupe de France.

Some United fans are also optimistic and feel that they would be very good signings for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

Dembele is currently Lyon’s highest goalscorer and has scored two goals more than former United forward Memphis Depay. The Frenchman has taken the second-highest number of shots per game for the club – 2.2.

As for Soumare, the 20-year-old’s current deal at Lille runs out in the summer of 2021 and the ESPN report claims that the club hopes to hand him a new deal soon.

The same report has also stated that Soumare is valued at around €35m-€40m (£30.1m – £34.4m) by the French club and United scouted him in his side’s 1-1 draw against Valencia in the UEFA Champions League.

What do we think?

United sold Romelu Lukaku to Inter this past summer and failed to replace the Belgian upfront. Links with Dembele, Mario Mandzukic and Erling Braut Haaland show that the club could be looking to sign a striker as soon as possible. Indeed, Dembele could be the man for United, if he really would love a return to England.

United also failed to sign a midfielder to replace Ander Herrera, who left on a free transfer for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. Links with Paulo Dybala and Bruno Fernandes led to nothing, but it showed that Solskjaer is looking for possible midfield recruits. Soumare could be the one, considering his potentially low fee and with his current contract running out, as well as his ability to contribute from midfield areas.

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European Football Writer. Contributed for FootballItalia, Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, Calciomercato, GFFN and more.