Southampton have reportedly had discussions over a potential transfer move for Olympique Lyon striker Moussa Dembele.
After scoring 70 goals in 158 combined senior appearances for Fulham and Celtic, the striker joined Lyon back in the 2018 summer transfer window.
Since then, the 26-year-old has found the net 69 times and delivered 19 assists in 160 appearances across all competitions.
With the former Fulham centre-forward set to become a free agent in the summer when his contract at Lyon expires, he may find himself making a return to England before tonight’s January deadlines.
In a recent Twitter post, journalist Graeme Bailey revealed that the Saints have “had discussions” about a transfer deal for Dembele.
His previous Ligue 1 campaign saw Dembele show how much of a deadly striker he is by ending the season with 21 goals in 30 league games, racking up the joint-third highest number of shots on target (37) in the division.
Taking into account how only five clubs have had fewer shots on target this season than Nathan Jones’ side (70), it’s clear that adding a figure like the Frenchman to their side could be just what they need to become a deadlier outfit in front of goal.
Would you be happy to see Southampton sign Dembele?
Yes
No
Hailed as an “exceptional” player by Pep Guardiola, the fact that Dembele has only started six of the 14 Ligue 1 games he’s featured in this season suggests that a potential return to England where he may be able to play regularly at Southampton could be an ideal next step for him.
Also, from Lyon’s point of view, selling the striker, who is clearly not at the top of the pecking order at the moment, before tonight’s deadline could be the best move for them from a financial point of view rather than risk seeing him leave as a free agent in the summer.
Moving forward, if the Saints are able to seal a late move for Dembele, this would surely give them a big boost to their chances of avoiding relegation, especially if the player can hit the ground running in terms of scoring goals.