Lyon prepare for life after £45m Man Utd target by lining up bid for Chelsea star

Moussa Dembele France

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their quest to sign Moussa Dembele after Lyon reportedly lined up Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud as his replacement.

Goals have been hard to come by for United so far this season, leading to them being heavily linked with a January move for Mario Mandzukic – which finally looks to have been given the green light by the player.

However, one of their longer-term targets is the more youthful Dembele, who has thrived in Ligue 1 since trading Celtic for Lyon in 2018.

According to Soccerlink in France, Lyon are becoming increasingly aware that they will not be able to keep Dembele forever, leading them to scour the market for replacements.

 

And the outlet claims that their new addition will be a Premier League-based name – as Olivier Giroud has emerged as a target.

The experienced Frenchman has barely featured under Frank Lampard, leading to speculation that he could be on the lookout for an exit route before the expiration of his contract in June, as he bids to keep his chances of playing in Euro 2020 alive.

It is said that talks have already commenced with the player, and should Lyon pursue a deal for him, it may make them less reluctant to part ways with Dembele – giving United hope of a £45m signing.