Manchester United considering summer move for Moussa Dembele

Manchester United are eyeing Lyon ace Moussa Dembele as they look to add bite to their frontline in the summer transfer window.

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are keeping tabs on French striker Moussa Dembele as they look to revitalise their flagging attack in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Red Devils have failed to score goals consistently this season. Cristiano Ronaldo has lost his goalscoring touch after the new year, while Marcus Rashford has been found wanting and is also considering his future at Old Trafford. Anthony Martial was sent out on loan while Mason Greenwood is indefinitely suspended.

More so, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard’s contracts are up at the end of the season, meaning the Red Devils will also need to compensate by adding strength in depth. Several key decisions need to be made at Old Trafford ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Red Devils appear to have earmarked Dembele as the man to ease their striking woes. The 25-year-old has done well since moving to the Groupama Stadium in 2018. He has since made 130 appearances for the French giants, scoring 54 times and assisting 16 more. While the numbers can certainly be better, Dembele has shown that he can thrive when used rightly.

The Frenchman is also familiar with the English game having spent his early years at Fulham and later Celtic. While his time with the Cottagers did not last long, he did show enough promise to suggest that he could thrive on this side of the channel.

Dembele’s contract with Lyon expires in the summer of 2023, meaning the Ligue 1 side have a decision to make this summer. With chances of losing him on a free in a year a real possibility, Lyon could be open to negotiating a fair asking price for him at the end of the current campaign.

As things stand, Manchester United can land their man for around £25 million, a fair price given Dembele’s age and potential. Still just 25, the striker has vast reserves of untapped potential and is also yet to hit his peak. Should they use him well, the Red Devils could be landing themselves a top player for a fraction of his worth.

There is much to be done for whoever replaces Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as the Red Devils’ permanent boss in the summer. While interest in Dembele is fine, it remains to be seen if the new man coming in shares the same feelings about the Frenchman. Manchester United have squandered several opportunities in the past and will need to have a near-flawless summer to get themselves back on track.