Diego Simeone CONFIRMS Moussa Dembele is on brink of switch from Lyon with Man Utd goal set to interchange Diego Costa

DIEGO SIMEONE has confirmed Atletico Madrid are near signing Lyon hotshot Moussa Dembele.

The former Fulham and Celtic striker will replace Diego Costa at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Moussa Dembele is ready to go away Lyon after two-and-a-half seasonsCredit score: EPA

Diego Simeone’s prayers for a brand new striker are set to be answeredCredit score: Reuters

Dembele is reportedly set to affix on an preliminary mortgage cope with a £29.6million everlasting choice.

Talking forward of Atletico Madrid‘s La Liga conflict with Sevilla on Tuesday, Simeone stated: “It is nonetheless not confirmed, but it surely’s very superior.

“I’ll flip my head in the direction of the sport, which is what pursuits me, and when there’s one thing, if there’s something, I am going to give an opinion.”

Atletico Madrid have been on the hunt for a brand new striker after terminating former Chelsea ace Costa’s contract final month.

Napoli‘s Arkadiusz Milik and Willian Jose of Actual Sociedad have been on their radar earlier than turning to Dembele.

The Frenchman has reportedly agreed private phrases and simply must go a medical earlier than the swap may be given the inexperienced mild.

Dembele went to Lyon sporting director Juninho to specific his want to go away.

Juninho instructed Telefoot: “Moussa got here to see me. He thinks that that is the second to alter groups, that he has misplaced a little bit of motivation.

“This was not one thing we foresaw. I like him so much. Retaining somebody who does probably not need to sustain the depth by way of the following 5 months – that’s not very best.”

Dembele might have returned to England greater than 4 years after quitting Fulham for Celtic.

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SunSport revealed in November that West Ham boss David Moyes is a fan of the 23-year-old.

Moyes wants attacking reinforcements after selling Sebastien Haller to Ajax for £20million.

Manchester United were linked with Dembele last summer and he was reportedly open to a move to Old Trafford.

Dembele joined Fulham from Paris Saint-Germain on the age of 16 and have become a daily for the Whites after they dropped into the Championship in 2014.

Celtic pounced two years later when his contract expired and he scored 51 objectives in 94 video games for the Scottish giants earlier than sealing a £19.7million swap to Lyon.

Dembele hit 44 objectives in his first two seasons for the French membership however has discovered the again of the online simply as soon as this time period.

In the meantime, Kieran Tripper is eligible to play again for Simeone’s side after his 10-game ban from the FA for a betting violation was put on hold by Fifa.