Manchester United look set on building a move to sign the highly prospective Marseille youngster Boubacar Kamara, according to reports. Despite interest from Jose Mourinho-led AS Roma, United still lead the race to sign the French midfielder.

The 22-year-old joined Marseille’s academy at the age of five and has been at the club ever since. He graduated from the youth academy to join the club’s B-side in 2016, while also debuting for the senior team the same year at the age of just 16. He is considered one of the hottest prospects in European football.

According to The Mirror, United have been tipped as favourites to sign Boubacar Kamara. The Red Devils hold the pole position to sign the Frenchman despite reports of Roma trying to reach a deal with Marseille for the player.

Roma are trying to swoop in for the midfielder and have initiated talks with the player’s agent, according to The Sun. Jose Mourinho know all about the financial superiority that Manchester United hold, having spent two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, the youngster is also considering the financial side before signing for a new club. He is well aware of the English club’s interest and the fact that United can offer him a better contract. Kamara is determined on moving to a different club, with reports suggesting the player refusing to sign a new contract at Marseille.

Boubacar Kamara would solve the pivotal position problem for Ralf Ragnick’s system, given his ability in terms of progressive passes (341) and pass completion (89.8%) in six seasons at Marseille, according to FBRef. He has made 12 league starts for the French club this season, accounting for 1,104 minutes.

He has been sidelined due to injury for only a single game so far in the 2021-22 season. The amount of availability the 22-year-old midfielder has shown for the volume of matches played by his club, especially after the Covid situation, speaks resilience about the player’s potential to skip past injuries.

United 'lead the race' for Boubacar Kamara transfer #mufc https://t.co/L7nmmwacbJ pic.twitter.com/ug3Xk2ipzL

— Man United News (@ManUtdMEN) January 2, 2022

Boubacar Kamara is excellent at shielding his defensive line and very comfortable at keeping the ball at his feet. His movement is silky smooth to move past opposition players. He can also switch flanks, preferably from the left side of the field, to open up the game.

Manchester United have conceded 27 goals in the Premier League this season. With the Frenchman’s capability to tackle and perform under pressure, Ragnick can prevent his side from giving away goals and dispossess opposition in the heart of the field. The German is very well known for developing younger players, as he has done so at his previous clubs, RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg.

The defensive midfielder has represented France at the U21 level and also has experience playing in the Champions League. The player is playing in Europe, with Marseille still contesting in the Conference League after being relegated from the Europa League.

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Former Marseille defender Rolando while speaking with RMC Sport in 2020 said:

“This kid is a phenomenon. When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one I said, ‘No, but this little one is going to be a great player. He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary.”

The Frenchman will be out of contract at the end of the season. Manchester United have the chance to sign a pre-contract with Kamara in the January transfer window and bring him to Old Trafford for free in the summer.

The Red Devils are looking to bring in personnel for the midfield region and are keeping tabs on various other players too, which include RB Leipzig’s Amadou Haidara (23), Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham (18), and AS Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni (21).

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