Newcastle signing this 21-year-old Ligue 1 starlet would be a fantastic move by Bruce

Why Newcastle should return for Boubakary Soumare in January

According to Chronicle Live, Newcastle were rebuffed by Boubakary Soumare last January. While interest has gone cold in recent months it would be no surprise to see Steve Bruce return for the player again this season.

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Born in Noisy-le-Sec, France, to parents of Senegalese descent, Boubakary Soumare rose through the youth ranks of Paris Saint-Germain before joining domestic rivals Lille in 2017 in search of a quicker route to first-team football.

The 21-year-old only played a bit-part role in his first couple of seasons at the club but managed to establish himself as a regular starter during the COVID-curtailed 2019-20 Ligue 1 campaign. Soumare featured 20 times last term as Lille finished 4th in the French top-flight and qualified for the Europa League.

The French U-21 international also started each of Lille’s six games in the group stages of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League. Christophe Galtier’s side finished bottom of the group but Soumare more than held his own in front of more experienced players in Europe’s elite club competition.

Soumare would add some quality and depth to Newcastle’s midfield

Bruce’s Newcastle have managed to survive in the top-flight despite concerns regarding the team’s performance at the beginning of the season. Despite having two defensive midfielders, the Magpies conceded as many as 58 goals last season. There also remains doubt over Sean Longstaff’s future (source – Daily Mail).

Also, having played a little ahead in the midfield unlike his usual deep-lying role at times in Lille, Soumare can offer Bruce a good option in the middle. It would do Newcastle a world of good if they rope in someone of Soumare’s mold in January.

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With issues still left to be solved in the middle for Bruce and Newcastle, bringing in Soumare seems like a good option at the moment. Having proved his credentials already, the youngster could add more strength to an inconsistent midfield that has leaked some goals this season.

Moreover, he is young and could develop further under Bruce’s guidance. Hence, Newcastle should once again reignite their interest in Soumare.