Lyon Moussa Dembele
Ben Jacobs has claimed that Southampton target Moussa Dembele isn’t looking likely to join the Saints.
The Lowdown: Saints need a new striker
Southampton have managed to find the back of the net just 17 times in the Premier League this season, so it’s quite surprising that no new striker has walked through the doors this month.
The Saints have recently been linked with moves for players such as Vitinha and Dembele, with the latter potentially being the most financially sensible one as he is set to become a free agent in just a few months.
Therefore, Lyon may yet accept a low fee to ensure they get something for a striker that’s been on their books for several years now who could become a free agent in the summer.
The Latest: Dembele isn’t convinced
Despite Southampton making moves on Dembele, Jacobs has claimed on his Twitter Space that the French striker isn’t looking like the club’s next signing, which could be down to the precarious league position.
He said: “I’d heard that Dembele was highly doubtful – ‘not happening’ was how it was referred to by one club source, so that isn’t looking particularly positive, unfortunately.”
The Verdict: Huge blow for Southampton
If the Saints were to be snubbed by Dembele, while they are also reportedly looking set to miss out on Vitinha with Brighton set to swoop in for the Braga striker, it would be a disaster of a transfer window for Nathan Jones.
Southampton are very poor in the final third and have been relying on James Ward-Prowse to come up with pieces of magic – as he did against Everton – which has allowed them to stay in touch with the rest of the Premier League’s strugglers.
Dembele could well have been a major coup for Jones and Southampton as he has a pretty good record in front of goal for Lyon, netting 69 times in 160 appearances. He also has plenty of top-flight experience so wouldn’t be overawed by the prospect of regular Premier league football, but it looks set to be yet another blow.
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