Lille manager Frederic Antonetti has admitted that attacking midfielder Sofiane Boufal will be leaving the club at the end of the season. In an interview with RMC in France, Antonetti was resigned to losing the player:
“Keep Sofiane? It is going to be difficult. We all know that in France, we must balance the budget at the end of the season. It has been expected for a while that Boufal will be transferred at the end of season. This is part of the DNA of Ligue One. The best players, at some point, are drawn by the richest leagues. Next, we want to keep everyone and we want to replace Sofiane with a different player.”
Le10Sport believe that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs who have been tracking the 22 year old. Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Southampton, Stoke City, Juventus, Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund are all also pursuing the Moroccan. So far this season, Boufal has appeared 27 times in all competitions for his club scoring eight goals and providing four assists.
He usually plays either on the left or right hand side of a forward line but is also sometimes employed behind the striker in an attacking midfield role. He only signed from Angers last January and made his debut for his country Morocco against Cape Verde back in March playing in two African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
