Chelsea and Manchester United are set to battle it out over the signing of Boubakary Soumare, with the youngster reportedly choosing one of the two Premier League clubs before this month’s transfer deadline.

The midfielder is one of the most sought after players in Europe, with a range of top clubs said to be after his signature this month. Spanish sides Real Madrid and Valencia, as well as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were reportedly chasing Soumare, but it seems only the Blues and United remain in the race.

The two clubs have held talks over the player, however, no decision is yet to be made by the player, and Sky Sports are reporting that it will be made after Lille play Paris-Saint-Germain on January 26.

The 20-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder who draws comparisons to that of Paul Pogba. He has been hugely impressive this season for the French outfit, making 23 appearances in all competitions this season, including six in the Champions League.

The France U21 international, who was signed from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 on a free transfer, has a big decision to make. Stay at Lille, or move to one of the biggest clubs in the world. Manchester United would almost certainly offer him instant first-team football, but the state of the club at this current period might be too unpredictable for him to make a move.

Chelsea on the other hand might not field the star as an instant midfield option, but they are a much more stable club and who better to ply your trade next to than fellow international N’Golo Kante?

Time will tell who Soumare will join, but one thing is for sure, for £22m it will be a fantastic coup for either side.