In a recent report, The Daily Mail has mentioned that Leicester City are close to sealing a move for LOSC Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare this summer. It is believed that the Foxes could make the French midfield ace their first summer signing for a fee in the region of £23m during this summer transfer window (via The Daily Mail).
Soumare’s Rapid Rise In French Football
Soumare enjoyed another impressive season in French football as he produced some encouraging displays at the centre of the Lille midfield. The 22-year-old took part in 43 matches for the French outfit last season, picking up two assists and four yellow cards across all competitions.
The 14-time France Under-21 international has proven his worth as a solid midfielder by averaging 1.4 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 0.7 clearances and 0.9 dribbles per game in the previous Ligue 1 campaign. He has even been excellent when distributing possession from midfield after making 86.9% of his attempted passes in the French top-flight (stats via whoscored).
The early signs have been quite promising from Soumare, so he could be a good long-term acquisition for the Foxes if they can get a deal over the line for him in this off-season. At 22, he will only get better in the coming seasons, so Brendan Rodgers should think about adding him to his squad this summer.
Will Soumare Be A Good Signing For The Foxes?
Soumare’s incredible contributions in midfield helped Lille clinch the Ligue 1 title last season which goes to show just how much he has matured as a footballer. He is a powerful presence at the centre of the park and can make some lively runs with the ball in the opposition half.
The French youngster loves to get stuck in with a few tackles so that he can secure the ball back in midfield. He can even sense the danger quickly and can pull off a few crucial clearances at the back. However, Soumare is yet to prove his worth outside French football, so the jury is still out on whether he can justify his value in the Premier League if Leicester end up securing his services ahead of the new campaign.
Soumare will add a lot of bite and steel to Rodgers’ midfield department at the King Power Stadium. Furthermore, he will also offer some added competition for Nampalys Mendy and Wilfred Ndidi for a place in the Foxes’ starting XI. With all things considered, the Lille whizkid will be a decent signing for the East Midlands outfit as he has got the potential to become a future star in European football.
