According to a French media outlet, Manchester United have made contact to sign a 2018 world champion to bring him to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window. The midfielder’s comments about his time at Bayern Munich suggest that he is ready to play for the Red Devils.
After a very disappointing 2024/25 season, Man Utd are determined to strengthen their squad in the summer transfer window and at least challenge for a place in the top four in the Premier League next season. They have been active in the market and have brought in Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik. – There is more to come, but some also have to be sold.
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It’s no secret that Manchester United are also in talks with Brentford about Bryan Mbeumo.
According to L’Équipe, Manchester United are also trying to sign Corentin Tolisso, and that “first contact” with the Lyon midfielder’s “entourage”.
Tolisso has already turned down offers from the Turkish Süper Lig this season, but he is open to joining a “prestigious” club like Manchester United.
Although the former Bayern player is not actively looking for a way out of Lyon and will not necessarily force an exit, Man Utd could possibly convince him if they reach an agreement with his club.
After “expressing interest in signing” the 2018 world champion with France, Man Utd now have to hold talks with Lyon, who do not want to sell Tolisso and value him at €10 million (£8.7 million, $11.7 million).
There is interest in Tolisso, who is the highest-paid player at Lyon, both from Saudi Arabian club Neom and from La Liga giants Atlético Madrid.
On June 24, the French football authority DNCG closed Lyon down to Ligue 2 due to financial problems.
But Lyon appealed the decision, and last week their relegation to Ligue 2 was overturned by the French Football Federation.
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Corentin Tolisso revived in Lyon
Tolisso returned to Lyon in 2022 after a varied spell at Bayern and has been superb for the French club ever since.
The 30-year-old, who is under contract with Lyon until the summer of 2027, scored 10 goals and provided nine assists in 46 games last season.
Seven of the goals and seven assists came in Ligue 1, and Tolisso was considered one of the best central midfielders in France.
Although Tolisso won the Bundesliga five times and the Champions League once during his five-year spell at Bayern from 2017 to 2022, he didn’t always play regularly.
Tolisso is happy at Lyon and told L’Équipe in March 2025:
“I feel it on the pitch.
“Someone close to me told me that before, when I ran back defensively, it looked like I was about to collapse. Now, when I run back, I do it at full speed, I stay upright, I feel strong.
“Maybe I wanted to get back too fast every time. At Bayern, it wasn’t like I went to a nightclub every day, ate poorly, didn’t sleep well or didn’t stay well hydrated.
“The mental side is crucial! At Bayern, my state of mind was not good. When your head is free, you can do what you love freely.
It is not always easy for players to make the step up to a big club like Bayern, but it seems that Tolisso has learned from his time at the German giants and could bring a better and more mature version of himself to Old Trafford if he joins Man Utd this summer.
