Reported Arsenal target would reject PSG, president says he’s free to leave

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Boubakary Soumare has no interest in returning to Paris Saint-Germain this year, with La Voix du Nord giving Arsenal fresh hope in their pursuit of the highly rated Lille midfielder.

There is little more than a week remaining in the transfer window and, as it stands, the Gunners look likely to sell a deep-lying ball-winner rather than buying a new one.

Lucas Torreira is edging closer to a reunion with fellow Uruguay international Luis Suarez at Atletico Madrid.

But, if ESPN is to be believed, Thomas Partey, Arsenal’s first-choice midfield target, won’t be heading the other way as part of the deal.

That leaves the London giants scouring the market for alternatives.

Fortunately, Lille are open to selling one of the most promising young playmakers on the planet.

“He is a player who has interest (from elsewhere). He has the ability to make the difference. He is a player who is in the France team. A player people are watching,” Lille president Gerard Lopez told Telefoot via ButFootballClub recently.

“We have a wage structure which means a young player will never earn what he could earn elsewhere. There are some big offers for (Soumare).

“The door is open if he wants to leave.”

FootMercato claimed earlier this month that Arsenal are one of many clubs interested in the £43 million-rated France U21 international, who has been compared to Paul Pogba thanks to his technical and physical attributes.

Soumare started his professional career at Paris Saint-Germain and has recently been linked with a return, thanks in part to the struggles of Idrissa Gana Gueye at the Parc des Princes.

But, according to La Voix du Nord, he would turn down an opportunity to return to the French capital.

Like Odsonne Edouard, Moussa Dembele, Jonathan Ikone and Kingsley Coman, Soumare was never given a chance at PSG. And it seems being overlooked in Paris still rankles.