Crystal Palace are reportedly considering a move for Leicester City midfielder Boubakary Soumare, and Patrick Vieira could turn him into a top player at Selhurst Park.

What's the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Vieira's side are keen to sign the 23-year-old, who has struggled for consistency with the Foxes since joining from Lille last summer.

Leicester are keen to recoup the £23m they paid to sign the Frenchman, which brought an end to Monaco's interest in the young midfielder, but Palace could offer him a lifeline this summer after a difficult spell at the King Power Stadium.

Vieira would make him a monster

Soumare arrived in England with a big reputation after playing a leading role in Lille winning the Ligue 1 title in the 2020/21 season.

The youngster made 32 appearances in the French top-flight that season, averaging a solid 6.76 rating from WhoScored for his performances, and given Leicester's propensity for successful French midfielders, there was hope that he would be a success in Brendan Rodgers' side.

However, he would make just 12 starts in the Premier League last season, failing to score and providing just one assist, which resulted in him earning a shocking average rating of 6.41 from WhoScored - ranking him as the second-worst player in Leicester's squad of those to make at least ten starts.

He is yet to play a single minute of the new season for the Foxes, despite doubts around the future of fellow midfielder Youri Tielemans, which suggests that he simply isn't fancied at Leicester and needs a new club to get his career back on track.

Soumare was very highly-rated at Lille and if he were afforded regular opportunities at Palace, we could see him achieve his obvious potential, especially considering he will be working under Vieira, a manager who has already shown a great deal of faith in young up and coming footballers.

Indeed, Ligue 1 expert and journalist Ian Holyman suggested that Soumare had all the attributes to succeed in the Premier League when he joined the Foxes, saying:

"He’s a powerful guy, 6ft 2ins, really athletic, but he’s also got ability on the ball. He’s not just about being a midfield destroyer.”

Rodgers did also offer some praise for Soumare after his debut performance at Leicester, saying:

“[Boubakary Soumare’s] a very strong player and we need his quality. He’s very good on the ball, but he’s physically good as well."

Unfortunately, we've not quite seen those abilities from him on a regular basis in England but that could change under the guidance of someone who knows all too well about the rigours of the top-flight.

A physical French midfielder who is good on the ball may well remind older Premier League fans of a certain Vieira, who is regarded as one of the top players of the Premier League era after his sensational spell with Arsenal. Thus, under his coaching, Soumare could really reach his monstrous aforementioned potential as he seeks to learn from one of the best to grace the game in his position.

Therefore, Vieira should definitely look to bring Soumare to Selhurst Park this month, as he could be a superb long-term addition to the Eagles' midfield.