Southampton target Viktor Gyokeres won’t be sold by Coventry City for less than their £18m valuation, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

Alongside the Saints, Premier League clubs Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham are also reportedly considering a move for the striker this month having attracted interest following an impressive first half of the season under Mark Robins.

The striker has just 18 months remaining on his contract, and having not yet put pen to paper on a new deal, this has alerted potential suitors to the 24-year-old’s situation.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones confirmed Southampton’s interest in Gyokeres but claimed that Coventry won’t be willing to let him leave for a fee below their asking price.

“I’m told Coventry are going to stick to their guns and won’t sell Gyokeres for less than £18m.

“There is interest here from the likes of Everton and Southampton, but I don’t see Coventry budging on this because if they sell, Mark Robins needs to buy a replacement.”

The Verdict: Splash the cash

Southampton being rock bottom of the table highlights their need for attacking reinforcements, and we feel Sport Republic have to splash the cash for Gyokeres, who would be the perfect candidate.

The Sky Blues forward has netted 12 goals in 26 Championship games this term and currently ranks in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions amongst his positional peers.

He also sits in the 96th percentile for successful dribbles with 1.99 per 90 minutes, proving he can craft chances for himself out of nothing, a necessary trait in a Saints side struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.

The Saints are reportedly also in talks to sign Villarreal attacker Nicolas Jackson, but should that deal for any reason fall through, Gyokeres should absolutely be the player they approach to solve their issues in the final third.