Southampton very close to signing two strikers to take summer deals to 16

Southampton are reportedly closing in on deals for two strikers, with Chelsea’s Armando Broja and Blackburn’s Adam Armstrong close to signing.

Reports on Monday morning from sources close to Saints, including the Athletic, Hampshire Live and BBC Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore, confirmed that a £15m deal had been agreed for Armstrong after lengthy discussions. A medical is yet to be completed and personal terms still need to be agreed.

News also broke of Broja’s potential loan from Chelsea on Sunday evening too and both players will provide good options for Ralph Hasenhuttl in the upcoming season.

Saints may also be targeting further deals too. Rumours of a loan deal for Liverpool’s former Saint Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are swirling, whilst there will be some significant funds left in the bank after the sales of Danny Ings, Mario Lemina, Wesley Hoedt, Angus Gunn and Alex Jankewitz.

Have Southampton replaced Danny Ings with these two deals?

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Those working on the Saints transfers must be seeing aspects of Armstrong’s and Broja’s games that can add something different to the first-team squad.

The former’s goalscoring record is fantastic in the Championship, but the real task will be to transfer that to the Premier League. His pace, two-footedness and running off the shoulder of defenders suggest that he could be a hit at St Mary’s.

Broja is a very raw talent but possesses lightning pace. He scored 11 times in 34 games during a loan spell at Vitesse last season and will join familiar faces Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu on the South Coast – all three will have points to prove to Saints and, indeed, Chelsea.

Perhaps it is not realistic to expect one of the strikers at Ralph Hasenhuttl’s disposal to replace the goals of Danny Ings on their own. Instead, a spread of contributions throughout the team is needed.

There will still be some significant individual talent in the team during 2021/22 but they will need to come  together as a team to find the goals and clean sheets needed to bring about a successful campaign for the club.

Saints summer signings with Broja/Armstrong: Walcott, Perraud, Livramento, Simeu, Broja, Armstrong

Saints summer departures (including loans): Ings, Lemina, Ramsay, Vokins, Gunn, Hoedt, Jankewitz, N’Lundulu, Slattery, Ferry,