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Southampton: Club still interested in Porto defender Diogo Leite

By Ryan Borowski

PORTO, PORTUGAL - JULY 27: Diogo Leite of FC Porto during the match FC Porto v AS Monaco - Pre-Season Friendly at Estadio do Dragao on July 27, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
PORTO, PORTUGAL - JULY 27: Diogo Leite of FC Porto during the match FC Porto v AS Monaco - Pre-Season Friendly at Estadio do Dragao on July 27, 2019 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images) /
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Southampton, are still interested in the 21-year-old defender but face tough competition from several clubs around Europe for his signature.

According to the report from sportwitness, Southampton have made a bid for the defender in the past only to have it turned down.

The Saints are not the only club pursuing the young defender. The other clubs linked are Valencia, Bordeaux, Ajax, Borussia Monchengladbach, Sevilla, Besiktas, and Feyenoord.

FC Porto’s Portuguese defender Diogo Leite (R) falls with Moreirense’s Serbian defender Lazar Rosic during the Portuguese league football match between Moreirense FC and FC Porto at the Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas stadium in Moreira de Conegos on January 10, 2020. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images)
FC Porto’s Portuguese defender Diogo Leite (R) falls with Moreirense’s Serbian defender Lazar Rosic during the Portuguese league football match between Moreirense FC and FC Porto at the Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas stadium in Moreira de Conegos on January 10, 2020. (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty Images) /

The club and the player are not short on suitors and really can go to any league he pleases. Leite, currently has a €40m release clause that has not been met by any of the clubs pursuing him.

He possess a good physical build that would help him transition to the Premier League and is naturally talented defender that Hasenhuttl could really use to help build the defense he wants.

He may be a bit more on the expensive side than Southampton is use to spending but if they are able to recoup the cost for some of the players they have been trying to get rid of for some time now like Wesley Hoedt and potentially Vestergaard. Those two alone could provide enough money to help lure Leite to the South Coast.

With football on pause right now it is time for Ralph to strategize and really narrow down his targets for the next transfer window and gear up for a big run in the 20/21 season.

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