Southampton are reportedly eyeing a move for RB Salzburg midfielder, Amadou Haidara after missing out on James Maddison last week. The latter chose Leicester City over the Saints and this has left Mark Hughes at a loss. Making additions in the summer window remains high on the manager’s agenda and Haidara seems to be as good an alternative to the Norwich City man as any.
The 3-time Mali international is a creative starlet with all the potential to one day become a star in the Premier League. He mostly operates from the central locations but is versatile enough to be fielded as a wing option.
Haidara appeared in 55 games last season and contributed with 8 goals and 10 assists. He helped Salzburg to the Austrian league title and to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. The 20-year-old started playing for JMG Academy Bamako in his home nation and was recruited by the Red Bulls in the summer of 2016. He was sent out on loan to FC Liefering and was allowed to feature in Salzburg’s U19 side and the UEFA Youth Team for further development.
Haidara broke into the German side last season under Marco Rose and that has stacked up interest from a number of European outfits. The midfielder has 10 caps for Mali’s U17 and U20 side with three seasons left in his current contract with Salzburg. Standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall, Haidara is a fitting tale of a well-rounded central midfielder. He is very composed on the ball and is equally adventurous on the offensive end. The 20-year-old also has discipline with his positioning and can win back possession when required.
Southampton needs a creatively sparked midfielder to get the side ticking again next term. Mark Hughes came in late into the 2017/18 campaign to save the side from relegation to the EFL Championship.
The Saints started the season poorly and looked further depleted after the departure of Virgil van Dijk. Their attacking lineup were misfiring on a regular basis and other teams took advantage of Mauricio Pellegrino’s incompetence.
With just days left till the end of the season, Hughes managed to pull off a miracle by beating Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium by 1 goal to nil in the 37th game week. The club came mighty close to losing their Premier League status and necessary additions will have to be made into the squad ranks to prevent a repeat.
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Haidara will also be an able replacement for Mario Lemina whose name has been in transfer headlines since January.
