Sports Mole takes a look at three high-profile players who could make a summer switch from Ligue 1 to the Premier League.
The Premier League is widely regarded as the strongest division in world football, possessing many of the best players and managers the beautiful game has to offer.
In financial terms, English teams currently have a continental stranglehold over their European counterparts and on several occasions have successfully won the race for some of the top talents from across the globe.
A surfeit of players, ranging from teenage sensations to worldwide superstars, continue to be linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, including some from the top tier of French football.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at three high-profile players who could make a summer switch from Ligue 1 to the English top flight.
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One of the most sought-after attackers from the French top flight is Lille star Jonathan David, who “can leave the club this summer” according to Les Dogues president Olivier Letang.
David has spent the last four seasons at Lille, scoring 84 goals and providing 18 assists in 183 appearances across all competitions, with 26 goals and nine assists recorded in 47 games last season.
The 24-year-old has now entered the final year of his contract and a host of Premier League clubs have been credited with an interest in his services, including both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur who are said to have held talks with the forward’s representatives.
Manchester United, another club known to be in the market for a new striker, have also identified David as a potential summer target, while Arsenal and West Ham United are two more English teams said to be keeping tabs on his situation.
David, who is currently away on international duty with Canada at the Copa America, could be available for as little as £20m this summer, making him a significantly cheaper alternative to the likes of Victor Osimhen, Viktor Gyokeres and Ivan Toney who have been linked with many of the top clubs.
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A number of incoming and outgoings could be on the cards at Paris Saint-Germain this summer. Kylian Mbappe has already completed his move to Real Madrid and another star who may depart is defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Head coach Luis Enrique is allegedly willing to let the 23-year-old leave the club this summer, just 12 months after joining from Sporting Lisbon for a reported £51m.
Those reports have since been backed up by the player’s agent Jorge Chijane, who recently stated that “it’s almost certain that he won’t stay” at PSG this summer, even though he still has four years remaining on his contract.
Man United are understood to have identified Ugarte as a potential target amid uncertainty over the futures of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, but Chijane mentioned Liverpool when discussing possible destinations for his client.
Serie A duo Juventus and AC Milan have also been credited with an interest in Ugarte, a 19-cap Uruguay international who started 27 of his 37 appearances for PSG last season.
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Rennes’ strong youth academy set-up has produced a plethora of talented players in recent years, most notably Eduardo Camavinga, Mathys Tel, Lesley Ugochukwu and Georginio Rutter to name a few, and one of their latest starlets who has stepped up to the first team is Desire Doue.
The 19-year-old has already made 76 senior appearances for Les Rouge et Noirs and the versatile playmaker chipped in with four goals and six assists in 43 games across all competitions last season.
A European Under-17 champion with France in 2022, Doue has since been capped for his country at Under-21 and Under-23 level and has also been selected in Thierry Henry‘s squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer.
A recent report claims that a host of top European clubs are keeping a close eye on Doue, including Premier League quintet Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
However, those English teams could face stern competition from the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli in the hunt for Doue’s signature.