Soccer Football - Champions League - Group H - Juventus v Malmo FF - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - December 8, 2021 Malmo FF's Martin Olsson in action with Juventus' Koni De Winter REUTERS/Massimo Pinca
Southampton are reportedly interested in securing a transfer deal for Juventus defender Koni De Winter.Â
The Lowdown: Saints’ recent summer signings
The previous summer transfer window saw the south coast club dive into the market and bring a significant number of new players to St. Mary’s.
A lot of those signings, such as Romeo Lavia, Sekou Mara and Armel Bella-Kotchap, among others, were particularly young, which suggests the direction that Southampton are looking to go in terms of their squad.
Now though, it appears that the Saints have their eye on adding another young talent to their ranks who is currently making a name for himself in one of Europe’s top domestic leagues.
The Latest: Southampton eyeing De Winter
According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Southampton are aiming to strike a deal to sign the 20-year-old.
The report also adds that the Saints face competition from their fellow Premier League club, West Ham United, who are also interested in the young centre-back.
The Verdict: A promising player
The Belgian is currently spending a loan spell away from Juventus with fellow Serie A side Empoli, where he has made eight league appearances this season.
With those eight games under his belt, the youngster has racked up the joint-highest percentage of successful passes (88.2%) at Empoli, which shows how comfortable and capable he is on the ball.
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In terms of his defensive talent, De Winter has the fifth-highest number of clearances (28) at the club as well as making 10 blocks, six interceptions and five successful tackles.
Hailed as a player that “has no fear” by Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, the Belgian has certainly shown he has what it takes to be a useful player in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Given the promise he’s shown, we feel that, with a bit more experience, De Winter could be an exciting addition to Southampton’s squad and continue their track record of signing young players.
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