Olivier Ntcham
Football Insider also confirm that Saints are looking to sign Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham instead and have joined West Brom, Marseille and Lyon in the race to secure the Frenchman’s signature.
Reports linking Ntcham with a move to St Mary’s started a while ago and the Frenchman’s style could fit well into Ralph Hasenhuttl’s setup.
Saints will be looking for a strong, ball-winning player and, although defensive actions are not Ntcham’s main strength, his ball distribution would help to control the tempo of games and stretch the opposition.
Celtic were said to want around £20m for the former France youth international and it remains to be seen whether this price will drop as we get closer to the transfer deadline on the 5th October.