Media Foot Mercato has revealed that Manchester United are among the clubs interested in bringing French striker Moussa Dembele to the Premier League.
United are in the market for an attacker following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo. Several strikers have been linked with a move to Old Trafford but Dembele has now emerged as an option for Erik ten Hag.
Lyon signed Dembele from Celtic back in 2018 for a fee of £19.3 million (€22 million) and the Frenchman has gone on to make 156 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit, netting 69 goals in the process.
Now, the 26-year-old is in the final year of his deal with Lyon and is no closer to signing an extension, so Les Gones are ready to cash-in this winter to avoid losing him for free next summer.
According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United are showing an interest but they will face competition as the report says Aston Villa are also attentive to the situation while Galatasaray are understood to be the front-runners.
The report says that the Turkish side have already had an offer of £4.4 million (€5 million) shot down by Lyon, with the Ligue 1 outfit holding out for a bid worth up to £8.8 million (€10 million).
That seems like an inflated fee for a player who will be available for nothing in June 2023, while Foot Mercato also says Dembele wants an annual package of £3 million to make the move.
Our View
After having netted 21 goals last term, the Frenchman has struggled for form this season, registering only two goals from his 12 appearances. With still more than half the season to go, Dembele could still find his best form and could prove to be a shrewd gamble for United.
Ten Hag is in dire need of goals with his frontline short of quality options, and Dembele would not only prove to be an impact buy but will also add depth and competition to the Red Devils’ ranks.
It remains to be seen if United do decide to formalise their interest over the coming weeks but Dembele could be a solid signing for the Manchester giants if they could get him for less than the reported £8.8 million (€10 million) asking price.
