According to 90min.de, Southampton are among four Premier League clubs interested in signing Matthew Hoppe this summer.

The Lowdown: Saints target a striker

The Saints received a hammer blow earlier in this transfer window when Danny Ings turned down a four-year contract at the club (via Sky Sports) - he will be a free agent next summer (Transfermarkt).

As such, Ralph Hasenhuttl's side may be in the market for a striker this summer, and it seems that they now have one on their radar.

The Latest: Saints eye Hoppe

90min.de reported that the Saints are interested in Schalke 04's Hoppe.

Tottenham, Newcastle and Wolves are the other three Premier League clubs eyeing a move for the forward.

The Verdict: Unproven but worth a risk

Schalke suffered one of the worst seasons in their history last term as they were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga from the German top tier after winning just three games. During a campaign of disappointment and despair, Hoppe was one of the very few bright sparks in Gelsenkirchen.

The youngster managed six goals in 22 matches and became the first player from the USA to score a hat-trick in the Bundesliga (BBC). He has been compared to Robert Lewandowski (Bundesliga.com) and is still just 20 years old.

Hoppe is valued at £4.05m by Transfermarkt, but with four clubs said to be in pursuit, he may go for a bit more than that. He is generally unproven - last season was his first in the professional game - but he may just be worth a punt for Hasenhuttl and co given his performances in a struggling Schalke side in 2020/21.

In other news, many Southampton fans love this official club reveal.