Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are in a battle to sign highly rated Udinese centre-back Oumar Solet, according to TEAMtalk.
The 25-year-old came through the ranks at French lower division side Stade Lavallois, where he made his debut on 4 August 2017 in the Championnat National against US Concarneau.
His performances for Lavallois, as well as for France U19, where he was a regular, featuring in 12 games, earned him a move to Ligue 1 heavyweights Lyon in January 2018.
However, it was with RB Salzburg that Solet made his mark after joining the 17-time Austrian champions in July 2020.
He made 106 appearances for Die Roten Bullen, helping them clinch three consecutive Austrian Bundesliga titles (2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23) as well as the 2021-22 Austrian Cup trophy.
The centre-back has also maintained his reputable and commanding displays in Italy after joining Udinese on a free transfer last winter. He has been an ever-present figure at the back, where he featured 38 times, including 19 in all competitions for the Friulani.
Now, according to TEAMtalk, Chelsea and Tottenham are set to battle for the signature of Solet, with the London duo impressed by his performances after watching him in action several times this season.
For Chelsea, the report adds that Enzo Maresca is keen on bolstering his backline, and Solet has been earmarked as a viable option to step in amid injury concerns to Wesley Fofana and inconsistencies among other centre-back options.
Battle
On the other hand, Tottenham’s coach Thomas Frank wants to add depth to his centre-back ranks, and the Frenchman is an appealing option, especially with Radu Dragusin tipped to leave the club, according to the report.
However, the Blues and Spurs are not alone in the race for Solet’s signature, as TEAMtalk adds that Manchester United and West Ham United are also ‘in the mix’ for the 6ft 3in colossus. At the same time, Crystal Palace have identified him as a possible option when Marc Guehi departs the club.
Chelsea lacks experience and leadership at the back, and adding a defender who can lead the backline and provide a commanding presence in the 18-yard box would help salvage their defensive woes, and this is where Solet is needed.
He has shown exemplary leadership in Udinese’s defence and is a commanding figure at the back. He excels in ball distribution and build-up play, a characteristic that would prove vital to Graham Potter’s style of play.
However, with competition from Tottenham and other clubs, there’s a belief Udinese might demand a fee well above his £17m Transfermarkt valuation to sanction his departure.
