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Southampton: Saints reportedly remain interested in Alcacer

By Chris Hughes

BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 11: Paco Alcacer of FC Barcelona conducts the ball during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Getafe at Camp Nou on February 11, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 11: Paco Alcacer of FC Barcelona conducts the ball during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Getafe at Camp Nou on February 11, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) /
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According to reports last night, Southampton are still keen on Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer but any move is dependent on Premier League survival.

The Saints are walking on dangerously thin ice as we enter the season’s final stretch, with Southampton yet to secure their safety in the top flight after a spell of easier fixtures.

However if Mark Hughes does pull off a Houdini act with the side, they will measure up a move for out-of-favour Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer.

The Saints have been linked with the Spanish striker more than once over the course of the campaign, and with Antoine Griezmann’s being linked with the Catalan giants more and more frequently, something has to budge.

Barcelona spend a hefty £30 million on the then-Valencia man in order to bring him in, despite the fact that the poacher has never really boasted an incredible goal record in La Liga. Despite averaging a very good minutes-to-goal ratio with Barca, as a first-team player with the former he was only scoring a goal every three games or so.

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WIGAN, ENGLAND – MARCH 18: Manolo Gabbiadini of Southampton is fouled by Dan Burn of Wigan Athletic for a penalty during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wigan Athletic and Southampton at DW Stadium on March 18, 2018 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
WIGAN, ENGLAND – MARCH 18: Manolo Gabbiadini of Southampton is fouled by Dan Burn of Wigan Athletic for a penalty during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wigan Athletic and Southampton at DW Stadium on March 18, 2018 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

If we’re too assume that the report is true, then if Southampton are to bring in the Spanish striker than the outgoing forward would be Manolo Gabbiadini. The Italian has failed to replicate his goal-scoring efforts from the second half of last season and as a result could leave at the end of the campaign.

Despite a return of four goals, Gabbiadini has been regularly linked with a move back to his native country, in particular to Bologna but also to the likes of Lazio as well.

Gabbiadini initally seemed like the answers to the Saints’ goal-scoring woes with Shane Long misfiring and Charlie Austin injured, but this campaign has been nothing compared to the season before.

Having spent just north of £14 million on the man, the club would hope to recoup a lot of that in any transfer which would be realistic if the Saints stay up or go down. Obviously any deal for Alcacer would hinge greatly on the Saints surviving in the Premier League.

The report in the doesn’t say how much the Catalan side would be looking for to sell their back-up striker, but one would imagine it to be a similar figure to what the club spent on Guido Carrillo in January.

The Saints could be in for a big shake-up this summer whether they stay up or not and Alcacer could be the first piece of the puzzle.

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