According to Mundo Deportivo, Southampton are battling West Ham and AC Milan to sign Barcelona defender Junior Firpo this summer.

The Lowdown: Saints planning for new season

After a mixed season that saw Southampton reach an FA Cup semi-final but also finish a lowly 14th in the Premier League table, Ralph Hasenhuttl and co will be planning for the upcoming campaign.

That is likely to see a number of new arrivals, and the Saints appear to have their eye on a La Liga left-back.

The Latest: Saints eye Firpo

The latest report suggests that Southampton are an option for Firpo this summer.

At the moment, though, it seems like the Hammers are leading the race for the 24-year-old, with Milan also an intriguing proposition.

The Verdict: Worth a punt

The move to Camp Nou has not gone fantastically for Firpo - he has made just 41 appearances across two seasons for the club (Transfermarkt). However, during the 2018/19 campaign, he scored three goals and provided five assists for Real Betis in 29 matches despite being a defender.

Valued at just £7.2m (Transfermarkt), he is unlikely to break the bank - which is just as well considering Hasenhuttl previously said the Saints will struggle to sign any single player for more than £10m (Sky Sports). It remains to be seen whether they are able to beat their competitors to his signature but the Barca left-back would be a very good addition in a problem area for the Saints.

In other news, Southampton fans rage at this man's exit.