Southampton: Saints lining up summer transfer for Frankfurt’s N’Dicka

Southampton are reportedly lining up a move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s young French defender Evan N’Dicka.

According to a report from skysports.com, Saints want to continue with strengthening their squad and are looking to sign the 20-year-old who has been tracked by the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs.

N’Dicka is capable of playing as a centre-back and at left-back and has split his appearances for Frankfurt this season between both positions.

Saints have limited options in defence anyway and need additional cover at centre-back, whilst Ryan Bertrand is the only senior left-back that Ralph Hasenhuttl has in his squad after Matt Targett was sold in the summer.

They have Jake Vokins coming through, and he provided a bright moment when he scored against Huddersfield in the FA Cup Third-Round.

Saints also tried to bring in a young defender with real potential when they brought in Kevin Danso on-loan from Augsburg at the beginning of the 2019/20 season, but he hasn’t really settled in at St Mary’s and is unlikely to be signed permanently.

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As he is a French Under-21 international, it may prove hard to capture N’Dicka ahead of other teams.

France have superb strength in depth in their senior team and higher age youth groups and being capped at that level – and indeed all the way from his Under-16 days – proves that N’Dicka is talented.

For that reason, Frankfurt will be keen to keep him and see him grow with them.

Bigger teams from around Europe will also be keeping an eye on him after his 25 games this year, but joining Saints would certainly give him a chance to play in the top-flight.

He is tall and dominant, and has attributes that would fit in well with the options that Saints currently have. Players with potential like him have also reaped the rewards after spending time on the South Coast.

Saints provide a platform to grow and play consistent football in the most competitive league in the world and are still partly reliant on selling on for profit to ensure they can continue to try and grow as a club.