According to the Daily Star, reigning Premier League champions Man City have been credited with an interest in French whizkid Lucien Agoume, with reports claiming that the 17-year-old starlet is eyeing for a move to a bigger club.
Agoume, who currently plies his trade with Sochaux in the French second-tier, only broke into the first team from the reserves this past season, but he has already made eyeballs turn in his debut season at the senior level.
The 17-year-old has earned rave reviews from various scouts and pundits across the globe and a move elsewhere to any top European club looks very much likely to materialize this summer. Agoume made his Ligue 2 debut against Troyes back in October last year and finished the season with 16 appearances for Sochaux in all competitions.
Daily Star understands that Barcelona, RB Leipzig and Ligue 1 champions PSG have been credited with an interest in the emerging star, although Man City and Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan are believed to be the clubs pushing hardest for Agoume.
The same source claims that the 17-year-old has only one year left on his current contract at Sochaux and he is unlikely to sign an extension, with so many elite clubs circling around like sharks.
Man City are reportedly looking to get the upper hand in the race by offering Sochaux a player on loan in a part-exchange deal for the 17-year-old wonderkid, with reports claiming that Agoume might be available for a fee of around £4.43 million this summer. (h/t Daily Star)
Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, Lucien Agoume migrated to France as a kid and joined Sochaux at the youth level following a brief stint at Racing Besancon in the lower division. He is already a youth international for France, having represented his nation at U-16 and U-17 levels.
Essentially a central midfielder by trade, Agoume’s physicality and style of play have earned him comparisons to French World Cup winner and Man United star Paul Pogba.
Standing at 6ft. 1 inch with a well-built frame, the 17-year-old has shown a level of maturity that belies his tender years in all aspects of his game, which is probably why he is such a hot prospect despite only making a handful of appearances for Sochaux in the French second-tier.
Agoume has a wonderful technique for a player of his age and his incredible range of passing and composure in possession certainly defy his tender years. Noted for his ability to play the ball off the ground, the 17-year-old has the skill set and the speed of thought to switch the play with guided missile-like accuracy.
While he rarely seems to misplace a pass, Agoume has also showcased the ability to combine his physicality with his technique to hold on to the ball in the middle of the park, which allows him that split second more to pick out the right pass.
Not only that, the Frenchman has carved out a reputation for himself as a wonderful athlete, having impressed with his tireless running, agility and sharpness on and off the ball over the course of his debut season in Ligue 2. Agoume is also a good reader of the game and he is more than capable of cutting out attacks with crucial interventions, whilst also showcasing the awareness to deal with the transitions in play.
To put things into perspective, Lucien Agoume is head and shoulders above most of the young players in the same mould and Man City could have a gem on their hands in the future should they manage to win the race for the incredibly talented French whizkid this summer.
The Citizens are likely to look at marquee signings this summer but they should also look to invest in talented youngsters to build a platform for continued success.
City made the headlines with the acquisition of Croatian starlet Ante Palaversa from Hajduk Split back in January, while Brahim Diaz left for Real Madrid. They have lost another promising youngster named Rabbi Matondo in recent times and the arrival of Lucien Agoume should increase competition for places in the youth ranks.
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Phil Foden’s metaphoric rise in a clear indication of the amount of effort that City have put in towards the development of their youngsters in recent times.
Hence, it won’t be a bad idea for them to bring in Agoume and groom him as a future first-team player, with the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva and Fernandinho all nearing the end of their time at the Etihad.