Southampton: Positive transfer updates on Saints moves for Djenepo and Adams

Southampton’s summer transfer business looks to be getting underway and there have been positive recent updates on moves for Moussa Djenepo and Che Adams.

The first player through the door at St Mary’s looks increasingly likely to be Djenepo.

Sky Sports and Belgian Football journalist Sven Claes are reporting that the Mali international has passed his medical ahead of a move to the Saints, and the transfer could be completed next week.

Both sources differ on the agreed fee, with Sky saying that Saints could pay Standard Liege £15m to sign the 20-year-old if performance-related bonuses are met in the future.

Djenepo is a winger by trade and scored 11 times in all competitions in 2018/19 whilst also laying on a further six goals for his teammates.

It remains to be seen how Ralph Hasenhuttl will use him in his setup for next season, but his direct running and ability to take on opponents could make him ideal as an attacking-midfielder in the Austrian’s 4-2-2-2.

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Birmingham City striker Che Adams has been a target for Saints since January and local reporters close to the club say that they will move for the 22-year-old again during this off-season.

BBC Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore and Adam Leitch of the Daily Echo have both highlighted in recent days that Adams is a player that is being negotiated over.

A quick and powerful player who proved brilliantly effective in the Championship in 2018/19, Adams looks destined to play Premier League football at some stage in the future.

However, Birmingham will not be letting go of their prized possession easily following his recent 22-goal haul in the second-tier.

The Daily Echo’s report states that Adams is just one of Saints’ striking targets this summer and that they will move on to other options if they feel the Blues’ valuation is too high.

A squad rebuild is needed by Hasenhuttl ahead of an important upcoming season, but Saints will need to offer much more than the alleged £8m they are said to have put on the table recently.