Southampton: Saints’ first offer for talented defender rejected

Southampton appear to have had an initial offer rejected for Real Valladolid defender Mohammed Salisu.

According to France Football, the Ghanaian has a £10m release clause in his contract in Spain but Saints have offered below that and included a number of bonuses to potentially be paid in the future.

French Ligue 1 club Rennes are also said to be in the race for the 21-year-old but reportedly fell behind Saints when Salisu decided he wanted to move to the Premier League.

However, this latest news could be a sign that they could still be in with a chance of claiming his signature ahead of next season.

It is clear that Saints are in need of another centre-back, and the fact that Salisu would fit in so well perhaps emphasises that they need to find some extra funds to put towards a transfer.

Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens are currently first-choice when it comes to central defenders in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad, but only Jannik Vestergaard and Kevin Danso – due to return to parent club Augsburg at the end of this campaign – remain as backup options.

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Adding Salisu into the group would provide attributes that are unique and needed by Saints at this time.

The 4-2-2-2 system that they utilise sometimes leaves defenders isolated at the back if the opposition counter-attack well, and this means that Saints need a backline full of players with pace and positioning – components that make Salisu a top young talent.

His age fits in well with what Ralph Hasenhuttl is trying to do at St Mary’s too by working with players with great potential, moulding a team in his own style and improving them in the process.

Being left-footed would also make Salisu stand out when compared to Saints’ other options in the centre-back department and would potentially mean him being more suited to playing on the left than anyone else.

Other areas of the team that need additions are right-back and central-midfield if Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is to leave this summer, but centre-back remains a problem area too and Saints’ transfer movements could become clear soon.