“Soumare’s Future in Doubt as Leicester Signs £25m Midfielder: Fenerbahçe Ready to Pounce”
Boubakary Soumare is expected to drop further down the pecking order at Leicester City following the signing of Oliver Skipp, who joined the club for a reported £20 million, plus £5 million in add-ons. Skipp has previously worked with manager Steve Cooper and is likely to integrate into the squad, potentially at Soumare’s expense.
Steve Cooper expressed his excitement over Skipp’s signing, stating: “It’s great to have him. We want to build on what the team accomplished last year, and to do that, we need to strengthen both the team and the squad.”
Reports from Turkey indicate that José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe is interested in acquiring Soumare. The 25-year-old midfielder, who joined Leicester from Lille in 2021, struggled to secure a regular spot and spent last season on loan at Sevilla. He made a brief appearance in Leicester’s recent 1-1 draw against Tottenham, coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute for Facundo Buonanotte. However, Soumare’s future at Leicester is uncertain, with Turkish sources suggesting that Fenerbahçe could pursue him following an injury to their first-choice defensive midfielder, Fred.
Despite Soumare’s return, Cooper has favored a defensive midfield pairing of Harry Winks and Wilfred Ndidi, a combination that was instrumental in their Championship-winning season. With Hamza Choudhury also in the squad, Soumare may struggle to find playing time unless injuries occur during the season.