Leicester confident of completing signing of Lille's Boubakary Soumare
By Ross Jackson
Leicester believe they've done enough to secure the signing of Boubakary Soumare despite a host of other clubs chasing his signature.
The Frenchman was one of the standout performers for Lille this season as Christophe Galtier led his side to their first Ligue 1 triumph for a decade, and his displays have attracted more than their fair share of admiring glances.
Leicester have been monitoring Soumare's progress in France for some time now, though a number of other Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Arsenal have also been linked with a move for the 22-year-old.
Despite being frontrunners to sign the Lille midfielder, the Foxes' inability to secure Champions League football for next season initially cast doubt over the France Under-21 international's move to the King Power Stadium.
However, following some words of persuasion from Wesley Fofana and Youri Tielemans, Leicester are now confident they're on the verge of securing a £20m move for Soumare.
Brendan Rodgers has been looking to add reinforcements to his midfield for some time now, with Brighton's Yves Bissouma another player on the club's radar, though Leicester's transfer team have been keen to push forward with a move for Soumare.
Rodgers appears eager to try and get as much of his summer recruitment completed as early as possible, with Ryan Bertrand another target mooted to be nearing a move to the club.
The England left-back's contract at Southampton expires this summer and the Foxes are hopeful of snapping up the Champions League winner despite interest from Arsenal.
If Leicester are successful in their pursuit of both Soumare and Bertrand, they'll be adding some much-needed depth to their squad as they look to once again go in search of that elusive top four finish which has slipped through their fingers on the final day in both of the previous two Premier League seasons.