According to a report from TEAMtalk, Southampton are interested in signing RSC Anderlecht midfielder Josh Cullen in the summer transfer window.Â
The lowdown: Making of the man
Signed for £900,000 from West Ham in October 2020 (Soccerbase), the 25-year-old has rapidly become a regular feature in Vincent Kompany’s side.
Having come through the academy in east London, Cullen struggled to break into David Moyes’ first-team plans and only made ten outings as a Hammer.
Instead, the previously eternal loanee headed for Belgium and could now have earned another move in a career on an upwards trajectory.
The latest: A ‘dream’ move beckons?
As per the report from TEAMtalk, the Saints are in the mix to bring Cullen back to England.
It’s claimed that Southampton, along with Wolves, Norwich City, Crystal Palace, Southampton, Leeds United, Burnley, Fulham and Sheffield United have all been ‘following’ the development of the 12-cap Republic of Ireland star.
Furthermore, West Ham are believed to be eyeing a reunion with the midfielder who has previously admitted to harbouring a ‘dream’ to return to the Premier League.
The verdict: value for money
Valued at £3.15million and under contract until 2023 (Transfermarkt), signing Cullen would likely be a relatively inexpensive deal for the Saints.
Currently, Ralph Hasenhuttl can only call upon the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu when it comes to experienced central midfield options within the St Mary’s ranks, so adding the man once hailed as a ‘machine’ by former manager Lee Bowyer would be a smart move.
This season, Cullen has played 41 times across all competitions for Anderlecht, missing just 22 minutes of league action, proof of some outstanding and much-needed durability.
In other news: EPL club tipped to make move for Southampton star. Read more here.Â
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