Man Utd, Chelsea both chasing £60m summer deal for 18-goal striker

Moussa Dembele TEAMtalk

Chelsea and Manchester United will lock horns in the summer as they battle to sign Moussa Dembele, claims a report.

The Premier League pair have both earmarked the former Celtic man as a target this summer, according to the Daily Mirror.

Both clubs were tracking the forward last month, but Lyon made it difficult for the 23-year-old to leave.

FootMercato reported that Chelsea had a bid of €40million (£33.97m) turned down by Lyon, and Tottenham Hotspur also failed in their attempt for the 23-year-old last month

The French publication has further claimed that United were planning to make an offer of €50million (£42.46m) for the Frenchman, but that never happened and instead United signed Odion Ighalo as stop-gap.

Speaking to reporters (via Goal), Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas reiterated that Dembele would not be sold in January.

“Our players are often targeted,” he said.

“We want Moussa Dembele and Lucas Tousart [linked with Hertha Berlin] to stay.”

 

 

Lyon’s stance may well change in the summer, especially if a bid in excess of £60million is lodged for the 18-goal striker, who is under contract until 2023.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are in need of a striker having lost Marcus Rashford to a serious back injury, and with no purchase option on 30-year-old loan signing Ighalo.

Chelsea meanwhile are determined to back Frank Lampard in the summer market after the Blues boss failed to add any new signings last month.

The Blues were tracking Edinson Cavani and Dries Mertens, but the report claims Lampard is a big admirer of Dembele, and at 23 he thinks Chelsea will get far more value from the Lyon man.