When Leicester City sign Boubakary Soumaré of French champion Lille in 2021, internally it had the effect of a coup d’état.

The recruitment team who had made their case to manager Brendan Rodgers felt that fee of £17 million ($21.7 million in today’s exchange) was a godsend for an actor who had all the raw materials to become a key player in the Premier League. They believed Soumaré could emulate his childhood hero Paul Pogba and become a bankable asset in the future.

He had just won Ligue 1 with Lille to break a 10-year streak of dominance by his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, and the Paris-born midfielder, who had played for France at all youth levels , was considered a rising star. in his country of origin.

His first season was a period of adaptation. Soumaré started 12 Premier League games, but they came mainly in the first half of the season and he was used sparingly in the second half, even being left out of Leicester’s squad on 12 occasions. In fact, he has only made two appearances in the last 17 league matches.

At first he had difficulty settling in, developer Athletics in March 2022: “I run but I run less than you (need) to run in the Premier League. I have to adapt to this style of running, the intensity and everything that comes with it. I have to teach myself this football culture.

(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

He found life off the field difficult in a foreign country, far from his close-knit family in the Paris suburb of Noisy-le-sec. He is one of six siblings.

After just one season, he almost left the club, with his move to Monaco falling through due to Leicester’s asking price. Clearly, Leicester were not prepared to give up their investment.

Rodgers called for patience at a press conference in October the following season, stating that Soumaré had needed time to acclimatise to a new country, a new language and the pace of the Premier League. Soumaré started 20 league matches during the disastrous 2022-23 relegation campaign – although he started eight of the last nine following Rodgers’ departure – but was still largely frustrating.

There were glimpses of what he was capable of, moments in matches where it seemed the penny had dropped and Soumaré understood what was required in the Premier League, but Rodgers became frustrated at times when he seemed to switch off , allowing riders to slide. in front of him and struggled to cover the ground adequately.

In September 2023, it again looked like Soumaré’s time at Leicester was over as Enzo Maresca allowed him to move on. Seville on loan with an option for the deal to become permanent. Even if his new club experienced difficulties La Ligafinishing 14th, Soumaré started 26 league matches and twice in Champions Leagueincluding in a 2-1 defeat against Arsenal.

His performance drew praise from TV pundit and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright. “I thought he was really good,” he said. “He looked like a different player (than at Leicester) in the way he played.”

Sevilla were unable to make the deal permanent for financial reasons, so Soumaré returned to Leicester and Steve Cooper became the latest manager to attempt to unlock his true potential.

Soumaré seems determined to achieve it this time. He is settled in Leicestershire and has started a young family, and he has impressed Cooper with his attitude in training.

“He’s really, really popular,” Cooper says. “He is really well-liked in the locker room. It is an integral part of culture from a social point of view but also from a focused point of view.

“I’ve had some really good, in-depth conversations with him, and he knows exactly what he wants and who he is.”

His performance in the 5-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United and its impact as a replacement for Ipswich Town on November 2, where he played a key role in Jordan Ayew‘s injury-time equalizer convinced Cooper to hand him his first league start of the season at Old Trafford on Sunday.

“He needs an opportunity,” Cooper said in his pre-match press conference. “We know he has brilliant athleticism and the way he can drive with the ball, and technically he is good.

Soumaré in action during Leicester’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

“You probably saw a lot in the build-up to the equalizer (at Ipswich) the other day of what he can offer with the ball.

“But he also has equally good qualities off the ball, so hopefully we can harness that and turn it into a positive effect for the team.”

Soumaré, like all his teammates, did not show the best of his abilities as Leicester were beaten again by Manchester United on Sunday. He did a neat job, making 82 touches and completing 61 of his 69 passes, and there was an explosion from midfield in a first half attack.

But with Soumaré, there is always the feeling that he should produce even more results. He made two interceptions and two tackles, completed only one of two attempted dribbles, made a key pass and won half of his six ground duels.

As we can see from his player dashboard Below, Soumaré mostly kept things short and safe in his own half, linking up with his two central defenders and Harry winks. He was the deepest of Leicester’s three midfielders and failed to manage a single touch in the final third.

Soumaré was never noted for his offensive prowess. He has only scored once and provided five assists during his career.

The challenge for Cooper is how to get the most out of Soumaré, who is now 25 and nearing the peak of his career. He is maturing and is no longer a timid recruit.

Cooper believes he is more than a deep-lying midfielder – as he was at Lille – more than a destroyer, and has the attributes to contribute all over the pitch.

“He’s a central midfielder and although some players like to sit lower and others like to play more forward, I think he’s a bit of an all-rounder,” Cooper says.

“I know at times during his career he has been asked to do one or two of the things I just mentioned, but I believe he can be a box-to-box midfielder. It’s an old-fashioned term but it should never be lost. He can play anywhere in midfield, understand the role and make a good impact in matches.

Cooper seems to believe in Soumaré and he will have more opportunities after the international break. The question seems to be to what extent does Soumaré believe in himself?

He’s had opportunities in the past but hasn’t been able to seize them with consistent performances, and with only one more season on his contract starting next summer, time is running out. Leicester will have to make a decision about their future this summer.

This could be Soumaré’s last chance to show everyone what he is truly capable of.

(Top photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)