With the transfer market in its dying days for this summer, every team is looking forward to revamping their team for the new season, which is already here. Premier League club Southampton is not an exception to that, as they are also eyeing certain players who can be the pinnacle of their success in the 2017/18 season.
This summer, Southampton have not been able to bag many players so far this summer. In fact, they had to let go of two of their finest players in the form of Jay Rodriguez to West Bromwich Albion and Cuco Martina to Everton during this period. Their mainstay in defence, Virgil Van Dijk, has also expressed his desire to play for another Premier League club and might be let off the hook by the Saints, with defending champions Chelsea looking interested to bag the player for the new term.
However, it seems that the South Coast club has finally cracked a second deal, which is so far the biggest for them, as they have agreed to a deal of £20 million for the Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina and have taken a positive step towards strengthening their team for the next season.
Reportedly, the deal has been confirmed by the Italian Serie A club’s manager Massimiliano Allegri following his club’s 2-0 defeat to the Premier League side Tottenham at Wembley. The 23-year-old has been a part of the Turin side since his arrival at the Italian outfit in 2015 from French side Marseille and has won a number of accolades with the Serie A champions.
Lemina has always been used as a back-up at Juventus and has never been a regular in the first team, having been used in a bits and pieces role throughout his tenure. He has featured in 42 matches so far for Juventus and has just three goals to show for his efforts.
The central midfielder is known for his defensive qualities and can be used as a shield in front of the backline, to keep the opposition at bay and stabilise the midfield. He is also known for his physical presence in the midfield, making challenges to win back the ball and keep it in his possession for a considerable amount of time.
Southampton lacks the depth in the midfield, which saw them miss out on the opportunity to finish in the top six in the last term. Hopefully, the inclusion of Lemina will give them the impetus to end at the desired position in the new season.
