Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare has broken his silence on his future, amid claims that he has become unsettled in France, as reports the Shields Gazette.
The 20-year old midfielder had been linked with a big-money exit in January, with Steve Bruce confirming in the final days of the transfer window that he had seen a bid for Soumare accepted, only for the player to turn it down.
That bid was said to be around £35million, and having turned down the offer to move to Tyneside, Mirror Sport reported that Soumare had become unsettled with Lille, with transfer talk having created a rift between the player and the club.
As well as Newcastle, Tottenham and Manchester United have also expressed an interest in the Frenchman.
Following the Mirror’s report, Soumare has now released his own statement, clarifying his take on the situation.
As reported by the Gazette, Soumare said:
We needed to talk to each other to resolve a situation concerning the management and development of my career.
Now it’s settled. We need to move forward. We need to take three points on Saturday to reach our podium ambitions. That’s all I’m interested in.
I’m really very happy to be at the LOSC. There’s an extraordinary project here for the young players!
It’s also a balance with more experienced players who allow us to develop on a daily basis.
I hope we end up on the podium, that we can get back to the C1 for our fans. I’m confident in the club’s project and that of its president, Gerard Lopez.
My agents and I are working hand in hand and in good understanding with the club.
Read Newcastle Verdict
Given that the midfielder still has several months left of the season left to play, and we presume he will want minutes in order to impress other clubs who may then make him a transfer offer in the summer, his comments come off as very diplomatic.
We think the Frenchman would likely need to play regularly in order to get his move in the summer, and after having missed out on Lille’s last four league games, he was always going to need to find a remedy in order to get back playing again.
Lee Ryder of the Chronicle has speculated that the Magpies could have around £80million to spend in the summer, meaning that Soumare could once again become a target for Steve Bruce’s side.
However, this time around they may face plenty of competition, with Liverpool also competing with Manchester United and Spurs for his signature.
