Southampton: Saints receive multiple enquiries for midfielder

Southampton have reportedly received multiple enquiries for midfielder Mario Lemina ahead of the summer transfer window.

According to an exclusive report from the Daily Echo, the Gabon international is a man in demand and is unlikely to move to loan club Galatasaray permanently because of the price tag on his head.

The Turkish giants are said to have an option to buy the 26-year-old at the end of his loan deal that runs until 27th July (via transfermarkt) but the financial strains caused by the Coronavirus pandemic may mean that they cannot find the funds to bring him in permanently.

Lemina remains a highly talented player and possesses great skill on the ball, although he did not showcase this as much as he would have liked with Saints. Now it appears that he will not be playing for the club again.

He arrived at St Mary’s back in 2017 for a fee of around £15m from Italian giants Juventus and made 52 appearances in the two seasons he was involved with the first-team.

It would appear that he does not fit in with the style of play that Ralph Hasenhuttl is trying to integrate on the South Coast though.

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Defensive intensity is needed to play at the central-midfielder in Hasenhuttl’s 4-2-2-2 system, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and James Ward-Prowse becoming mainstays in the Saints team because of their ability to play in the roles.

Lemina looked a classy player going forward in games but lacked the awareness, positioning and work-rate to be a reliable defensive-midfielder for the team, and this would almost certainly see him become a liability in the current setup.

He is untried in the Saints side this season of course where the players seem to have taken on more about their individual roles. However, his laid back attitude when playing means that question marks would be raised about his ability to press constantly and consistently alongside his teammates.

Lemina is just one of many players that Saints are struggling to move on permanently, but they may need to do so to free up funds for their own signings.