Southampton and Premier League rivals Brighton are reportedly tracking the progress of Juventus starlet Koni De Winter this summer.
According to a report from Belgian news outlet Het Belang van Limburg (via Sports Witness), both clubs have joined Club Brugge in following the 19-year-old who certainly looks a strong prospect.
De Winter is yet to make his first-team debut for Juventus but has been on the fringes of their senior squad having been on the bench in a Champions League group stage clash with Barcelona last season.
The Belgium youth international made 26 appearances for Juve’s Under-19s last season and proved to be a leading figure in their academy system.
Can Southampton start to sign highly-rated talents like Koni De Winter?
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Upcoming changes due to Brexit mean that clubs will not be able to sign players from EU countries without specific requirements being met.
Information on this can be found via the FA’s website, where they explain that a points-based system will be used to score potential signings. Quality of league, club and international appearances will all come into consideration to ensure only the best talent is chosen over English or British players.
Koni De Winter would seemingly fit the bill as a youth international representing the top ranked country in the world right now and this is the type of player that Saints will need to try and target from now on with their youth recruitment.
A strong and intelligent defender capable of playing across the defence, he joined Juventus from Zulte Waregem in 2018. Whether he gets the chance to show what he can do with the senior team is another matter, although he does have a contract in Turin until 2024.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is a fan of players who can play in multiple positions and De Winter’s ability to play as a centre-back or full-back could have seen him appear on the radar at St Mary’s.