---
title: "Southampton: Sport Republic eyeing Michael Keane move"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/michael-keane-southampton-january-transfer-rumours/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Premier League News"
published: "2023-01-06T13:10:10Z"
modified: "2023-01-06T13:10:10Z"
---

# Southampton: Sport Republic eyeing Michael Keane move

**[Southampton](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/southampton-fc-news/) are keen on signing Everton defender Michael Keane on loan this month, according to [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/31771/12476234/transfer-centre-live-all-the-latest-deals-moves-and-rumours-as-the-january-transfer-window-opens?postid=5173846#liveblog-body).**

### The Lowdown: Orsic move close

The Saints appear to be closing in on their first signing of 2023 in Dinamo Zagreb attacker Mislav Orsic. The Croatia international was due to have a [medical](https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/23230785.mislav-orisc-undergoing-medical-southampton-today/) on Thursday ahead of a proposed deal worth around £6m.

It looks as if [Nathan Jones](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/nathan-jones/) is already looking at further reinforcements, with Keane -who is sponsored by [Nike](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-keane/profil/spieler/118534) – seemingly another target.

### The Latest: Southampton interested in Keane

[Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/31771/12476234/transfer-centre-live-all-the-latest-deals-moves-and-rumours-as-the-january-transfer-window-opens?postid=5173846#liveblog-body) stated in their live transfer blog on Thursday (15:59) that Southampton are interested in Keane.

They claimed that signing a new centre-back on loan is one of the Saints’ priorities in this transfer window alongside bolstering their attack.

\[freshpress-poll id=”420491″\]

### The Verdict: Makes sense

Keane has fallen out of favour at Goodison Park this season, [failing](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-keane/leistungsdaten/spieler/118534) to make a Premier League start under Frank Lampard. The 29-year-old may therefore be open to the idea of moving to the south coast, provided that he is guaranteed more game-time.

He would add plenty of [top-flight experience](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-keane/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/118534/wettbewerb/GB1) to Jones’ side, something which could prove handy in the second half of the season, with the Saints already conceding [33](https://www.premierleague.com/tables) times in just [18](https://www.premierleague.com/tables) league games as they sit bottom of the table and fighting for their Premier League status.

Keane, who has [12](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michael-keane/nationalmannschaft/spieler/118534/verein_id/3299) caps for England, has averaged a rating of higher than 7/10 by [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/107941/History/Michael-Keane) in three previous Premier League campaigns, so if he could replicate that form at St Mary’s, a loan move would make sense.