Player profile: Southampton target Anthony Modeste

Recent reports in German tabloid BILD have suggested that a host of Premier League teams have had scouts watch striker Anthony Modeste – among those are Southampton.

You know your team is crying out for a new striker over summer when a player who’s been injured for five months is still your leading scorer. With that in mind it doesn’t come as a surprise that Southampton were reported to be looking at Cologne’s Anthony Modeste.

Among those reportedly also in attendance were scouts from West Brom, Stoke City and West Ham United, thanks to the Frenchman’s 25 goals in the Bundesliga this season.

Collectively all four of Southampton’s attackers have scored just 19 goals in the Premier League, instantly making Modeste seem like a welcome addition to the strike-force.

A relatively late bloomer to the limelight, Modeste will turn 30 next year, so who is the reported Southampton target?

Hailing from Cannes in France, Modeste’s first professional contract was signed with Claude Puel’s former club Nice in 2007. However he failed to make his mark in the top league with just three league goals in 43 games.

As a result he moved on loan to Angers in Ligue 2, where he first found his knack for scoring. He found the back of the net 20 times from just 37 league games.

Modeste then moved to Bordeaux before enjoying a less-than impressive loan spell with Premier League side Blackburn – he failed to score in nine appearances.

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Following Rovers’ relegation he moved onto to Bastia in his native country, again scoring a solid 15 which meant he was the side’s highest scorer. As a result he earned himself a move to Germany with Hoffenheim. He averaged a goal around every three games for a team that also featured Roberto Firmino.

Two years later he joined Cologne where he’s remained to until today, despite interest from West Ham and China. He’s been far from a one-season wonder in Germany however, as he led his side in scoring in the 2015-16 campaign too, with 18 goals in all competitions.

Standing at six-foot-two and possessing a tough, physical build, Modeste excels at finishing in and around the box, thanks to a powerful shot and a good heading ability.

His ability score with just one touch could be compared to that of an Oliver Giroud or even a Graziano Pelle, two strikers who have excelled in the Premier league.

However unlike Manolo Gabbiadini the Frenchman doesn’t possess a strong passing ability – in fact he’s averaging just 63.4 percent in the league this season. What’s more, Modeste would struggle in a set-up like the weekend’s against Liverpool, with his lack of serious pace or agility making him struggle at getting in behind.

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For the 29-year-old to work he would need the support of players alongside him to threat the ball into in the box – but that isn’t a bad thing.

Instead it would work in the Saints’ favour, as they would have an extra dimension to their attack as a result. Charlie Austin is arguably the best headerer of the ball in the Saints’ current strike-force, and even he wouldn’t be considered a physical aerial threat – Modeste would be that.

However despite his age his reported value is around £20-25 million, making him a risky investment in comparison to the likes of Gabbiadini, Austin or Pelle before him. However if Modeste could score 15-20 goals for the Saints it could prove invaluable in their quest for European football.