Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly willing to make a lucrative offer to sign Pape Matar Sarr, who is valued at £28 million by FC Metz.
According to a report by Football Insider, Chelsea and Manchester United are ready to step up their efforts to secure the services of Pape Matar Sarr before the summer transfer window. The Premier League duo are prepared to loan the 18-year-old, who is valued at around £28 million, back to FC Metz upon signing him on a permanent deal.
Pape Matar Sarr has made quite a splash since joining FC Metz last year. After making his first-team debut for the Ligue 1 outfit, the teenage whizkid has only gone from strength to strength, going on to amass 27 appearances while also chipping in with four goals along the way, which is quite impressive considering he is a defensive midfielder by trade.
The 18-year-old’s progress has not gone unnoticed either, with some of the biggest clubs in the world having him closely monitored for the better part of 2021. Real Madrid, too, have been linked with Sarr of late, but it is Chelsea and Manchester United who seem to be intent on making their move for the player.
The interest from Chelsea makes sense, despite the presence of three stalwarts like N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic. However, with Billy Gilmour loaned out to Norwich City and Kante experiencing some frustrating spells on the sidelines due to injuries in the last couple of seasons, it is prudent that the Blues sign a potential long-term solution in midfield.
That is also because the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Ross Barkley, among others, do not seem to be a part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans, which further accentuates the need for a midfielder, making Sarr a viable target for Chelsea. Manchester United, on the other hand, need a long-term successor for Nemanja Matic.
The former Chelsea midfielder has been quite splendid for the Red Devils over the last few years but is approaching the final phase of his career. And while Scott McTominay is evidently being moulded into a holding midfielder, signing a natural option like Sarr might not hurt Manchester United, and will only add to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s options.
As per the report, Sarr, who is valued at around £28 million by Metz, is a serious target for both Chelsea and Manchester United. And the Premier League giants are prepared to offer the 18-year-old whizkid back to the Ligue 1 outfit on loan if they sign him, thereby making it quite a lucrative offer. Having said that, it remains to be seen if either of the clubs can land him this summer.