Solskjaer gives go ahead for transfer of £50m-plus midfield kingpin

 TEAMtalk understands Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given the green light for Manchester United to move for Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in Europe over the past 12-months and he impressed in both games against Manchester City in the Champions League this season.

Those performances sparked interest from Pep Guardiola, who is looking for a long-term replacement for Fernandinho, but United have also been linked with the France international.

And now United will pursue the player after Solskjaer personally scouted Ndombele with the Norwegian prepared to pay in excess of £50million to land the former Amiens star.

It’s understood Juventus, Paris Saint Germain and City have all held talks with Lyon – who have already told the interested parties they will sell to the highest bidder and now United are prepared to mount a big move for Ndombele, with Solskjaer ready to let Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba depart Old Trafford.

Pogba’s United future is up in the air despite finishing the season as United’s top scorer and with Zinedine Zidane a well-known admirer of the France star, his agent Mino Raiola, is trying to engineer a move to the Bernabeu.

Solskjaer feels that somebody of Ndombele’s talents is required in the United engine room having lost Ander Herrera.

Mercato365 have claimed that Liverpool have also scouted the player, while L’Equipe reported on Sunday that Tottenham were also in the running for him.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has admitted that Ndombele will likely be sold this summer and says he would prefer to sell his prized asset to a fellow French club.

“I am negotiating with the biggest European clubs for Ndombele,” he told L’Équipe. “I’m the one who revived the PSG talks so that they don’t feel dismissed.

“I told myself that it was the time to speak to PSG because PSG would win more by operating with French clubs.

“If PSG aligns with the three offers received and Tanguy agrees, obviously it would be nice if he goes there.”