Chelsea and Liverpool transfer target Malick Fofana has been spotted sporting a Manchester United kit amid rumours that the Lyon winger could be set for a move to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old, whose current contract with Lyon does not expire for another three years, impressed in Ligue 1 last season but could leave the Groupama Stadium this summer, with transfer speculation increasing after the French side were provisionally relegated to the second tier last week due to poor finances.
Fofana has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea, both of whom will hope the off-pitch issues for Paulo Fonseca's side could lower Lyon’s reported asking price of £60million.
But on Sunday, the left-sided winger posted a pair of pictures on the story of his Instagram account from what appeared to be a non-club training session in which he was wearing a Manchester United shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name and number on the back, together with matching shorts.
Whether the Belgium international’s choice of kit - and decision to share the pictures - was a hint as to his preferred transfer destination, a show of support to the exit-bound Rashford similar to that of Alejandro Garnacho’s, or merely a coincidence remains to be seen.
Both Chelsea - who are currently competing at the Club World Cup in the United States - and Liverpool have been busy so far this summer, the former recently agreeing deals for Brighton’s Brazilian forward Joao Pedro and Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens after bringing in Ipswich striker Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr.
Liverpool have splashed out on Florian Wirtz in addition to bolstering their full-back ranks with Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, plus signing new goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili and Armin Pecsi.
The arrival of positional rival Gittens may dampen Chelsea’s desire to enter a potential bidding war for Fofana, although there has no been shortage of young attacking arrivals at Stamford Bridge in recent years so the Blues may still consider remaining in the race for his signature.
At Anfield, Fofana would add to Arne Slot’s options on the wings, particularly amid reports that the out-of-favour Federico Chiesa could return to his native Italy this summer.
And should he choose to leave Lyon for recent Europa League foes United, Fofana would join ex-Wolves forward Matheus Cunha - and potentially Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo - at Old Trafford in what’s shaping up to be a new-look frontline under Ruben Amorim, with natural left wingers Garnacho and Rashford looking to depart the club.
