Manchester United 'make contact' over deal for Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim looks to be contemplating new midfield additions with move for Bryan Mbeumo continuing to stall

Manchester United have made contact over the potential signing of Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso, according to reports in France.

Ruben Amorim is searching for further upgrades throughout his squad this summer in preparation for a first full season in charge at Old Trafford in which he will be under pressure from the outset after overseeing the majority of their worst-ever campaign in the Premier League era.

United have already clinched the £62.5million arrival of Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha from Wolves, handing him the No10 shirt, in addition to signing youngsters Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik, the latter of whom has been loaned to FC Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland.

United now appear to be moving some focus to potential midfield additions, with French outlet L’Equipe reporting that they have made initial contact with Tolisso’s camp to explore the feasibility of a move.

Tolisso - named permanent skipper after striker Alexandre Lacazette’s departure for Saudi Arabia this summer - is a key player for Lyon, whose relegation from Ligue 1 for financial reasons was recently overturned on appeal and they were admitted entry into next season’s Europa League after finishing sixth last term, at the expense of Crystal Palace.

He scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Paulo Fonseca’s team last season, featuring in both legs of their dramatic Europa League quarter-final tie against United, scoring in the extraordinary 5-4 second-leg defeat at Old Trafford before being sent off ahead of extra time.

Tolisso scored and was later sent off playing against Manchester United in their Europa League thriller

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He has netted 42 times and laid on 30 assists in 270 appearances in total for Lyon across two spells, having returned to the club in 2022 following a five-year stint at Bayern Munich, signing a contract until the summer of 2027. He also earned 28 senior international caps for France between 2017-21.

L’Equipe report that Tolisso, 30, is interested in joining United but won’t force an exit from Lyon, who want to keep him. However, they add that a sale of one of their highest wage-earners valued at over €10million (£8.6m) would help the club’s current financial situation.

He is also said to have rejected a move to Turkey and has interest from Saudi Arabia, as well as potentially from Atletico Madrid if Argentina’s Rodrigo De Paul leaves for Inter Miami.

United’s midfield options are currently comprised of the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro, Mason Mount and Toby Collyer, while Christian Eriksen was released at the end of his contract and influential captain Bruno Fernandes rejected a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal earlier this summer in order to stay at the club.

Victor Lindelof was also released, while fellow defender Jonny Evans retired before taking up a new role as United’s head of loans and pathways.

The wantaway quintet of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia are reportedly all now back at Carrington after being given extra time off to try and secure moves away from the club, though are training at different times to the first-team squad.