In demand: Malick Fofana is attracting interest from several Premier League sides this summer
Chelsea Football Newsletter
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.
Malick Fofana wearing a Manchester United No 10 shirt
Instagram/@malick_fofana7
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.
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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.