Free-agent Oumar Solet could be on his way to the Premier League with Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and West Ham United all keen on the defender.
Slowly but surely, some of the biggest names in the free-agent market are starting to find employment.
Adrien Rabiot, three months after his Juventus contract expired, is set to join Roberto de Zerbi’s Marseille revolution.
Memphis Depay moved to Brazil last week with Corinthians, while former Manchester United team-mate Anthony Martial is being heavily linked with a move to Greek outfit AEK Athens.
And, after Red Bull Salzburg terminated Oumar Solet’s contract on Saturday, it feels unlikely that the 24-year-old Frenchman will be out of work for long.
Because, as HITC have been told, clubs from all across the continent have been put on red alert by the surprise nature of his departure from the Austrian giants. The aforementioned Marseille have looked into a deal, alongside Anderlecht and Italian champions Inter Milan.
West Ham still keen on Oumar Solet but face Aston Villa battle
HITC can also confirm that Solet has no shortage of admirers in the Premier League.
Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham are all interested. What’s more, they also have space in their official 25-man squad for a free-agent addition.
Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur looked at Solet over the summer, when he had one year left on his Salzburg contract. It remains to be seen if any of the trio plan to renew their interest at this stage, with none of Liverpool, Newcastle or Spurs bringing in a right-sided centre-half in the Solet mould before the window closed on August 30th.
West Ham, meanwhile, saw the previously £12 million-rated Solet as an alternative to Jean-Clair Todibo. Despite snapping up the latter from under Juventus’ nose, it seems that the Seine-et-Marne-born colossus remains an active option.
A former France Under 20 international, Solet moved to Salzburg from Lyon back in 2020 before winning two Austrian Bundesliga titles and a pair of domestic cups.
Man United also ran the role over Solet, per French publication RMC. It feels unlikely in the extreme that Erik ten Hag’s side will return to the table, having secured the services of both Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.
Tottenham and Liverpool were keen over the summer
It is not quite certain why Salzburg decided to terminate Solet’s contract rather than wait until January and try and make a few million from his sale.
Krone Zeitung report that an agreement had been reached with the Red Bull outfit to let the 6ft 4ins giant depart in the summer of 2023, and Solet was left in limbo to an extent after a proposed switch to Hoffenheim in Germany fell through at the eleventh hour.
Speaking to Foot Mercato last year, Solet admitted that he felt well suited to life either in the Bundesliga or the Premier League given his physical prowess and his speed across the ground.
“England and Germany seem to me to be leagues which could suit me in terms of my qualities,” said Solet, who was included in the Team of the Tournament at the UEFA European Under-19 Championship five years ago.
“I like the Premier League. It’s a championship with a lot of intensity, and I like that. I find that my physical qualities – my size, my speed and the fact that I am tough in duels – mean that I could see myself there. It is one of the best leagues in the world.”
