Steven Gerrard appears to have disrupted Manchester United's transfer plans after personally scouting Marseille's Boubacar Kamara.
The Aston Villa boss was reportedly at the Stade Velodrome to watch the midfielder star in the French heavyweight's 3-2 victory over Nantes on Wednesday evening. Kamara has been heavily linked with a move away from Marseille ahead of the summer transfer window, with his deal expiring in two months' time.
But while the Red Devils - who announced Erik ten Hag as their new manager on Thursday - are keen to land his signature, RMC Sport, via Sport Witness, claims that Gerrard made a personal trip to the south of France to see his 'priority target' in action. Playing the full 90 minutes, the 22-year-old impressed his potential suitors and showed exactly why Villa have already offered him a lucrative contract, according to reports.
Capable of playing in a variety of positions, Kamara's skillset is based around defensive attributes, exactly what United have sorely been lacking in their haphazard midfield for the past few seasons. With Ten Hag now confirmed to be taking charge at the end of this term, the Red Devils have themselves prioritised signing a defensive midfielder like the France youth international.
Gerrard, on the other hand, has been in the Villa Park hot seat for six months and is desperate to build on a promising start. French outlet Jeunes Footeux recently outlined how keen the Birmingham club are to snap Kamara up ahead of Europe's top dogs, with Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton also linked with interest.
Goal reported in March that La Liga giants Atletico Madrid were looking to sign the out-of-contract talent, who boasts over 150 appearances for Marseille, having made his debut at the tender age of 16. The Spanish champions are confident that Kamara is keen on a move, as Bayern Munich, Roma and AC Milan also monitor his situation.
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Speaking to La Provence, as relayed by Football Italia, Kamara opened up on his future plans and confirmed that he will be leaving the Velodrome in June after reportedly demanding a deal worth £150,000 per week. "The decision to leave Marseille was difficult, but I think it will be good for the future of my career," the United and Villa target admitted.
"I don't want to look ahead, but it's the club of my heart and everything is possible with my club. We've had our ups and downs, but we've become a family. The city and the fans will remain in my heart."
Marseille president Pablo Longoria expressed his disappointment by saying: "To lose a player at the end of the contract, especially one of your best and one with one of the best values in the squad, is always a failure."
