Forget Tottenham – Here’s why this prized 20-year-old would be better off joining Man United

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Chinmay Athreya

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Why Boubakary Soumare should snub Tottenham and join Man Utd

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare, according to the Mirror.

Born in the northern suburbs of Paris, Soumare joined the PSG academy at 12. However, a lack of first-team action for the French champions meant that, at 18, he decided to move to Lille in the Ligue 1. Now with his contract expiring in the summer, the 20-year-old has been putting in some impressive performances in both the Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

With a surprising yard of pace, Soumare’s 6ft 2in frame allows him to escape aggressive pressure with relative ease. Furthermore, when he breaks into space, his awareness to distribute the ball accurately and decisively has made him a crucial player for Lille this season.

Lille have a great track record of producing some outstanding talents and Soumare is a testament to that.

Chelsea FC v Lille OSC: Group H - UEFA Champions League
Soumare in action (Image credit: Getty)

He is excellent at using his body to his advantage. Soumare often gets in between the attackers and the ball, and simply challenges them to get around.​ Comfortable with the ball at his feet, Soumare can pick a pass or dribble forward with ease. Defenders struggle to dispossess him as they can’t catch him and if they do, they can’t overpower him.

A defensive midfielder by trade, Soumare is capable of producing moments of pure magic. He remains calm under pressure and can play a killer pass in the final third. Although he has the skills to succeed Paul Pogba, he would be better suited as a direct replacement for Nemanja Matic at this stage.

Nemanja Matic
Matic has struggled this season (Image credit: Getty)

The path to signing Soumare appears to have gotten a little more complicated, thanks to Jose Mourinho. However, there is also a clearer path to first-team football in the midfield at United than Tottenham, where the competition is too high.

Verdict

Tottenham have a lot of options in the middle of the park. The Red Devils, on the other hand, certainly seem to be lacking a bit of character and the French youth international would be a great choice. With Matic in his 30s, signing Soumare would be brilliant business by Manchester United.