Manchester City will reportedly battle Atletico Madrid this summer for the signing of French talent Sekou Mara, who is currently set to play third-tier football with Bordeaux after their shock double relegation from Ligue 1 this year.
According to L’Equipe, the Premier League champions are one of numerous sides interested in the 19-year-old striker, who last season was one of the few bright spots in Bordeaux’s nightmare campaign as the historic French side were relegated to Ligue 2 before financial problems saw the Champagne-region side administratively drop into the third-tier.
As per GFFN, Bordeaux’s relegation to the third-tier is currently set to be appealed in court, but as things stand, Mara will play Championnat National football unless he is sold, which the French club are eager to do, setting a €15m (£12m) asking price for their star prospect.
A talented attacker who last year enjoyed a ‘remarkable’ season in Ligue 1 as per L’Equipe, Mara bagged seven goals in the top-flight as Bordeaux finished rock bottom of the table, yet despite this, interest from some of Europe’s biggest sides still lingers, with City now set to rival Atletico for the striker’s signature.
A centre-forward by trade but able to operate out on the left-wing, Mara could be a great signing for Atletico or City this summer and a good prospect to keep on their books for the coming years, with the teenager already a France U-20 international and set for an U-21 call-up next season.
Indeed, Mara is an interesting case given the incredible circumstances Bordeaux find themselves in, yet with Atletico and City looking to sign the youngster, the 19-year-old could soon have a route back to top-flight football if his club allowed him to leave this summer.
City could lose out on Mara signing to Atletico
City have the financial power and the space in their squad to sign Mara this summer, however, the prospect of joining Atletico could be a more alluring one for the French youngster given the Spanish side’s incredible record at producing and developing strikers over the years.
From Sergio Aguero to Diego Costa to Antoine Griezemann, Atletico’s history of signing and turning strikers into some of the best in Europe is extraordinary, and for Mara, signing for a club like the Colchoneros could be too good to turn down despite interest from the likes of City.
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