Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea have reportedly joined Fulham in the race to sign Le Havre defender Arouna Sangante.
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United and Chelsea have taken an interest in Le Havre captain Arouna Sangante, who has also been on the radar of Premier League rivals Fulham. The 21-year-old centre-back was named in the Ligue 2 Team of the Year after helping Le Havre win promotion last season, and he has continued his fine form in France’s top flight.
The Rise of Arouna Sangante
The Senegalese defender has made 15 appearances in all competitions in 2023/24 and has managed to average around 1.8 tackles, 2.6 interceptions, and 3.1 clearances per match this campaign.
Sangante is the current Le Havre captain and only signed a new deal until 2026 during the summer. However, the 21-year-old could be set for a January exit from the club. The Ligue 1 club are said to be open to cashing in on their skipper if a right offer comes around, while the player is also looking to take the next step in his career.
Arouna Sangante in Demand
Fulham have been credited with an interest in signing the Le Havre star, as they could be forced to offload defender Tosin Adarabioyo in January to avoid him leaving on a free transfer. Convincing the towering defender to sign a new deal would undoubtedly be the ideal solution for Fulham.
But the player now holds all the cards in the situation with his deal expiring at Craven Cottage. As per TEAMtalk, Chelsea and Manchester United have now joined the race to sign Sangante, with both clubs set to watch him in action against Lyon this weekend.
Given that Manchester United have endured their fair share of torrid luck with injuries to defenders, and with the long-term futures of Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, and Raphael Varane up in the air, bringing Arouna Sangante to Old Trafford could alleviate some of the strain put on Erik ten Hag’s backline.
Chelsea, meanwhile, signed France international Axel Disasi in the summer. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have struggled so far this season and have been linked with several new additions in the January window, including Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. But Sangante is also a viable target and a move for the youngster might be on the cards.
