Southampton have been on the receiving end of what can be termed as a bittersweet season in the Premier League. The Saints have been bogged down all through the season with injuries to a number of their players who were in good form along with the inability to win close matches. However, they are looking to turn things around next term and are looking to bring in players who have played a major role for their respective clubs from all over Europe.
One such player is the Danish striker Martin Braithwaite, who is currently playing for the French club, Toulouse. The 25-year-old marksman has been playing a pivotal role in the current season for the French Ligue 1 club and has scored 11 goals in total for his club in 34 appearances throughout the current season. His record is evident of his form as he is considered as one of the most highly rated players in the French Ligue 1.
While a number of clubs are ready to bid for the Danish youngster next summer, the Saints are being considered as one of the favourites to sign him to their squad in the forthcoming season. The South Coast club are in dire need of a good striker who can score goals for them and end their woes that they have been facing this term.
The mercurial forward has a contract with his current club which runs till 2019. However, sources suggest that the Danish marksman is also looking to make a move out of Toulouse in order to make it big with one of the clubs in Europe, preferably from the Premier League. Speculations are rife that West Ham United along with German club FC Koln are also ready to make a bid for Braithwaite to bag him.
Reportedly, Toulouse have slammed a price tag of £9 million on their in-form striker for the next summer transfer window. Given the financial situation of the South Coast club, it should not be a problem for them to secure the signature of the Danish ace on the agreement paper for the next season.
Injuries to their two most reliable players up front, Manolo Gabbiadini and Charlie Austin, have been a big detriment to Claude Puel’s team in the recently concluded season, as they were much short of the firepower they expected to have. With the inclusion of Braithwaite to their lineup, given that the Danish striker agrees to sign for them in the summer, Southampton can look to turn things around for them in the forthcoming season.