Fenerbahce set to rival Manchester United for midfield star

Fenerbahce are having a great season so far, holding second place in the Turkish Super Lig, only three points behind rivals Galatasaray.

Their 3-2 win over Trabzonspor kept them close to Galatasaray thanks to goals from Talisca, Kerem Akturkoglu and Marco Asensio, while the Istanbul-based side also keep fighting in the Turkiye Kupasi.

Earlier this season they won the TFF Super Kupa, beating Galatasaray 2-0, however look set for a different fate in the Europa League.

A 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on home ground sees them head into the second round with a major disadvantage as they look to remain in the competition.

However, the Turkish side also have one eye on the upcoming summer transfer window as well as their current season, looking to a talented attacking midfielder that top European teams have in their sights.

AfricaFoot has reported that Fenerbahce are joining the race for Malian midfielder Seydou Dembele, currently playing for Jean-Marc Guillou Academy in Bamako.

Dembele has started to impress on the international stage, shining in the African Football Union Zone A for the Under-17s in 2024.

After that, last year, he went on to impress at the Under-17s Africa Cup of Nations scoring two goals and grabbing one assists to get to the final against hosts Morocco who won the tournament.

His impressive run on the international stage then took him to the Under-17s World Cup in Qatar where he scored two goals and grabbed four assists before being once again defeated by Morocco, this time in the round of 16.

It’s understood that Manchester United and Barcelona are also keen on the 18-year-old with Chelsea having a £1.4 million bid recently rejected by the Malian side.

Another interested party is Red Bull Salzburg who are a partner of the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy, potentially opening up an entry route for Seydou Dembele given that he’s already trained with the side.

Salzburg have a routine link with talented Mali midfielders, as Bakary Simpara or Ibrahim Diakite, national teammates of Dembele, are already at the club.

However, Manchester United have beaten Salzburg to a signature recently, signing Sekou Kone in summer 2024.

As such, it’s not unheard of for United to overcome existing partner links to sign someone they greatly value.

That said, Fenerbahce are reported as wanting to stop at nothing to sign the 18-year-old, so this transfer race could well be one to watch.