Lorient close to €6.5m deal for Sporting CP winger Souleymane Faye

FC Lorient are reportedly close to signing Sporting CP winger Souleymane Faye, with the deal expected to be confirmed soon.

The two clubs are understood to have reached an agreement over the Senegal international’s move to France, according to Foot Mercato. The proposed transfer is expected to take place initially on loan, with FC Lorient holding an option to buy the player permanently.

The French club are reported to have committed €6.5m to the transaction. However, the deal has not yet been officially announced by FC Lorient or Sporting CP.

Faye, 23, is set to leave Sporting CP after making seven appearances for the Portuguese club. His outings have come in both domestic and European competition, including two matches in the UEFA Champions League and five in Liga Portugal.

The winger came off the bench on each of those seven occasions and has therefore not started a match for Sporting CP in the competitions listed.

A move to FC Lorient would represent another change of club for Souleymane Mame Faye, who has also spent time with Granada. His arrival would give the Ligue 1 side an additional attacking option, although the precise terms of the reported purchase option have not been disclosed.

Foot Mercato says the transfer could be made official shortly, with negotiations between Sporting CP and FC Lorient apparently reaching an advanced stage.

Faye’s next move is therefore expected to be to Brittany, where FC Lorient would initially secure his services on a temporary basis before deciding whether to activate the option to make the transfer permanent.

The proposed €6.5m arrangement would make the deal one of significance for FC Lorient, but the available details do not specify whether that figure represents the value of the purchase option, the total cost of the loan agreement or the overall package.

For now, the central elements of the reported agreement are the player’s imminent departure from Sporting CP, the loan structure and the presence of an option to buy.

No official confirmation has yet been provided, but FC Lorient are expected to announce Souleymane Faye’s arrival soon if the final stages of the transfer are completed.