Southampton: Saints target Alcacer to join Premier League rivals
By Marc Walker
Southampton look set to miss out on a reported transfer target this summer as Barcelona’s Paco Alcacer looks set to join Premier League rivals Watford.
According to a report from Marca journalist Lluis Miguelsanz, the Spanish striker will join the Hornets on a two-year loan deal and reject the advances of other clubs – including Southampton – in the process.
The deal for the 24-year-old will see him link up at Vicarage Road with former Barcelona winger Gerard Deulofeu and includes an option to buy at the end of his two year stay in England.
Alcacer was supposedly being tracked by Saints back in January when they were looking for attacking additions to fire them away from relegation, and rumours resurfaced at the beginning of this summer too.
This may be seen as something of a blow for Mark Hughes with the club likely to still be in the market for a striker to provide much needed goals and competition for Manolo Gabbiadini and Charlie Austin.
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Alcacer has made 50 appearances for Barcelona and scored 15 goals in the process despite being limited often to a role from the substitutes bench.
It was at fellow La Liga club Valencia that his best years came though. 43 goals and 17 assists in 124 games saw him become one of the league’s top marksmen and earned him a £27m move to the Nou Camp.
He also has the ability to play across the frontline and has been fielded on the RIght and Left-Wings at times in his career.
A move for Alcacer now looks increasingly likely with his game time limited behind the World Class talents of Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi amongst others.
Just a week remains of the transfer window and Saints will have to work fairly quickly if they are to add other players to their squad before the deadline on 9th August.
Boss Mark Hughes has mentioned that fringe players may have to be moved out before the club bring further bodies in to follow the addition of Jannik Vestergaard, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Angus Gunn and Stuart Armstrong to his squad.