Southampton supporters will be hoping this week is a quick one, excited by the prospect of Saturday already, as the Saints get their Premier League campaign underway away at Newcastle United.
Russell Martin will have plenty of new signings to choose from ahead of the lengthy trip to St James' Park, with the likes of Ben Brereton-Diaz in contention for a start at Tyneside in the attacking positions.
The Saints could also be strengthening their options in the middle of the park very soon if another move gets off the ground, with the target in question having the potential to be their next Victor Wanyama.
Southampton keeping close eye on £4m rated ace
According to football journalist Sacha Tavolieri, via his social media, the newly promoted outfit are keeping a close eye on BK Hacken star Romeo Amane, as a way to bolster their numbers centrally.
The likes of Will Smallbone, Flynn Downes and Joe Aribo are already in the building on the South Coast in these spots, but it looks as if Southampton are keen on snapping up the Ivorian gem anyway, who is only 21 years of age, but is taking the Allsvenskan by storm.
His impressive showings out in Sweden have attracted interest from the likes of Augsburg and Royal Antwerp from across Europe too, as Southampton now prepare to fight it out with their competitors for the in-demand Hacken midfielder's signature, who is valued at around the £4m mark.
How Amane compares to Wanyama
Away from the aforementioned talents Martin already has at his disposal in this area of the pitch, Amane could offer the Saints a presence similar to that of Wanyama, who starred at St. Mary's for a number of seasons, before jumping ship to Tottenham Hotspur.
Amane has been a consistent top performer for his Scandinavian employers over a number of seasons now, amassing 84 appearances for Hacken to date and has chipped in with seven goals and nine assists along the way, which included the goal above just last month in Allsvenskan action.
It could well be time for Amane to make the leap up to English football, therefore, just as Wanyama did successfully back in 2013, after leaving Celtic behind to make a name for himself in a major European division.
Games played
17
30
Goals scored
1
1
Assists
2
1
Touches*
68.2
59.8
Big chances created
2
2
Accurate passes*
43.1 (87%)
37.1 (82%)
Interceptions*
1.5
2.3
Tackles*
1.6
3.1
Clearances*
1.2
2.1
Total duels won*
5.9
7.0
Glancing at the table above, Amane will look to mirror Wanyama's rise, as the 21-year-old has shades of the Kenyan's game in his own, with a bite present in both of their play-styles when looking at the number of duels won between them. The former Saints star was a great deal stronger in the tackle but Amane has plenty of time to improve, still very much in the embryonic stages of his career.
Moreover, Wanyama did have a strike in his back pocket for the Saints like Amane – away from just managing one goal during his swansong campaign on the South Coast – with four goals managed from 97 outings, before going on to further affirm his status as a top talent in the Premier League in North London.
The current Hacken gem will hope he can become an established top-flight star over time too if he signs on the dotted line for Martin's men, having been hailed as "one of the greatest prospects of Sweden" currently by Tavolieri.
Everything seems to be taking shape for Southampton nicely ahead of the new Premier League season kicking off, and with signings such as Amane potentially in the pipeline, the Saints will aim to surprise a few teams and clinch safety at the end of it all.
Southampton "monster" closing in on exit as "very concrete" talks emerge
The update comes from a reliable Sky journalist.
ByHenry JacksonAug 12, 2024