Derby County linked with Ligue One striker as Rams consider forward move

Derby County have been linked with a move for FC Lorient striker Sambou Soumano as they contemplate a move for a forward this summer.

Derby are considering their options in a bid to bolster their attack as they look to beef up their centre forward positions with Patrick Agyemang ruled out until Christmas with an Achilles injury.

Soumano is set to become a free agent on the back of a season which ended with him scoring 21 goals and registering six assists.

Now Foot Mercato in France are reporting that he has significant interest from England with Derby and Charlton both said to be monitoring his situation.

Clubs in France and Turkey are also keen on the 25-year-old who is said to want a move that will help develop his talent.

He is not the only former Lorient player to have captured attention with Derby having also been linked with Bamba Dieng who is also a free agent after leaving the French club.

Derby are one of several clubs to have been linked with the forward who is currently away on international duty with Senegal at the World Cup.

Dieng is currently available on a free transfer after leaving Lorient on the back of an excellent season which ended with him scoring 15 goals in all competitions.

Dieng began his career with Diambars in the Senegal Premier League, scoring 12 goals in his first 14 games in his debut season. He finished as the top scorer of the Senegal Premier League for the 2019–20 season.

A versatile forward who can also play on the left wing, Dieng signed for Marseille on a loan deal with an option to buy in October 2020 and managed 11 goals in 54 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 club.

He switched to fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient in 2023 and managed 22 goals in 55 games.

The transfer window is now open, the signings are being linked and players could be heading for the exit door at Pride Park as it promises to be a pre-season of change at the club.

Every day, the DerbyshireLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Rams content.

Our dedicated reporter Leigh Curtis - who you can follow on X by clicking here - follows the Rams home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.

WhatsApp: You can also get all your favourite content from DerbyshireLive's Rams team on WhatsApp. Click here to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club.

App: If you prefer reading our Rams stories on your phone, consider downloading the DerbyshireLive app, in which you can personalise the content you see by selecting Derby County as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple here and for Android here.

Social Media: You can also get all the latest updates by following us on social media here Facebook and X.