Manchester United facing competition for midfield rock: Should they move in for him? | OneFootball

Manchester United are looking to add more quality to their squad in the summer, and have been linked with a move to sign Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare.

According to Dailystar, however, the Red Devils will face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

Leicester City are vying for a place in the top four this season, and are currently third in the league table. Yes, they were defeated by the high-flying West Ham this past weekend, but the Foxes have enough firepower to stay in the top four till the end of the season.

This will bring Champions League football to the King Power Stadium next season. Brendan Rodgers will then have the funds to add to the squad to compete in both Premier League and Champions League. So it’s no real surprise that they have been linked with a move for Boubakary Soumare.

Should Manchester United make a move to sign Boubakary Soumare?

Manchester United already have competition for places at the centre of the park. Scott McTominay, Fred, Paul Pogba, Donny Van De Beek, Bruno Fernandes and Nemanja Matic all are good options to Solskjaer.

But apart from Matic, the Red Devils don’t have an outright defensive midfielder; a player who can just sit in front of the centre-backs and provide security.

Matic does that role well for the club but his lack of pace and mobility exposes the team sometimes. Having Boubakary Soumare will be good option for Solskjaer. He is a midfielder who knows his role is to sit back and safeguard the back four.

Since breaking into Lille’s first team in 2019, Soumare has done a fine job in the defensive midfield role. The 22-year old midfielder has played 38 times for the French club this season. He is a safe distributor of the ball, achieving a passing accuracy of more than 85% in the games.

The midfielder is also adept at winning aerial dues and making tackles. In Ligue 1, the midfielder has won more than 60% of his tackles and aerial duels.

When we compare his successful tackle percentage with Matic, Fred and McTominay, we realise how robust he is in his role. The three Manchester United’s midfielders have won only 40% of their tackles in the Premier League this term. Statistics don’t lie, although it can be argued that the level of competition is perhaps higher in the Premier League.

The Red Devils still need to improve in the defensive midfield department, and Boubakary Soumare can be that player who will provide more security. He can potentially be the long-term successor of Nemanja Matic which Manchester United are trying to find.

Stats Courtesy: Whoscored