Crystal Palace are keen to raid Leicester City for struggling French star Boubakary Soumare.
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are keen to raid Premier League rivals Leicester City for French defensive midfielder Boubakary Soumare this summer.
The 23-year-old was one of Ligue 1’s best young talents and moved to the King Power Stadium from LOSC Lille in the summer of 2021. To call his time at Leicester a failure would be an understatement as Soumare struggled to make any sort of impact for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Gone was the player who looked dominant in France, and Leicester were left with a youngster devoid of belief or confidence. The Foxes are cash-strapped at the moment and have failed to bring in a single outfield player this summer. They are currently in talks with Monaco to land Sofiane Diop in a swap deal for Soumare.
Crystal Palace have joined the fray to sign Soumare and could make a move of their one to land the Frenchman. Led by Les Bleus legend Patrick Vieira, the Eagles are soaring high and could offer Soumare a new lease of life in the English capital. Vieira is one of the finest midfielders to play in the Premier League. His guidance could prove invaluable to a player like Soumare, especially given his age.
Palace are not keen on entering a bidding war and could opt for a deal that will see the player join originally on loan. It is difficult to see Leicester accept such a demand given that they consider the player expendable. The ball appears to be in Palace’s court regarding making a bid that will find traction at the King Power Stadium.
Vieira’s side are without Conor Gallagher, who was their Player of the Year last season. The youngster has returned to Chelsea following the end of his loan spell, leaving a void in the Eagles’ midfield. This has seen the Selhurst Park outfit keep tabs on players such as Houssem Aouar and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
While both players are capable replacements, Soumare’s raw potential makes him stand apart. The 23-year-old is also a specialist defensive midfielder and would steel to a side that has the silky duo of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise. In terms of balance, signing the Foxes star makes a lot of sense for Crystal Palace.
