Stoke City academy product drawing interest in summer transfer window.
Lille have reportedly opened talks with Stoke City over the potential signing of 18-year-old midfielder Sol Sidibe, according to French sources.
The England U18 captain has long been seen as a promising talent at Stoke, having joined the club as a youngster and following in the footsteps of his father, Mama Sidibe, who helped the Potters reach the Premier League in 2008 and now works in the club’s recruitment team.
Despite making his senior debut two years ago and joining the first-team for three consecutive pre-seasons, Sidibe has had to prove himself under four different managers. His progress stalled earlier this year after a back injury ruled him out for the remainder of the season just after Mark Robins’ arrival as manager.
He recovered fitness in time to represent England in the off-season and took part in additional training with fellow young stars, including Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly. Sidibe has since returned to pre-season training with Stoke but is now attracting interest from Ligue 1 side Lille.
Le Parisien reports that Lille are “closely interested” in Sidibe and have initiated talks with Stoke. The midfielder, who has made 21 senior appearances, is not expected to leave on loan but is likely to feature in today’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Shrewsbury Town.
Eligible for England, France, Mali, and Senegal, Sidibe has already captained England at U18 level and is focused on establishing himself further. He recently said his main goal this season is to become a regular in Stoke’s first team, adding: “I still think there’s a lot more room for me to grow.”
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