Southampton are locked in a three-way battle with Leicester City and Newcastle United for the services of Burnley winger, Johann Berg Gudmundsson. The 27-year-old is priced at £20m and that could turn out to be a hefty amount for a side in the second division of English football.
The Saints are long-time admirers of Gudmundsson and were weighing up a move for the summer if they manage to escape relegation this season. They have already parted ways with Mauricio Pellegrino after enduring a tumultuous campaign at the bottom half of the Premier League table.
Southampton are held off the bottom three with just one point and 8 games left to save themselves. Just one slip will see them make the unappreciated return to the Championship and further additions are necessary to prevent a similar story in the following season.
Gudmundsson has been one of the key figures in Burnley’s extraordinary season in the Premier League. Spending majority of the campaign on the edges of a European qualification spot, Sean Dyche has led his side to their most successful finish in top-flight football.
Gudmundsson is one of the players who get to be credited with that high flying achievement attributed to his impressive work ethic on the right wing. The Iceland international has racked up 2 goals and 6 assists in 32 total appearances this season.
He arrived at Turf Moor in the summer of 2016 following the remarkable performance he put up for his country in the 2016 Euro Cup. A dominant left-foot marked with an ability to launch pinpoint crosses makes him a lethal playmaker from the wide areas of the pitch.
He is one of the workhorses who will deliver consistency throughout the period of his involvement on the pitch. It was only a matter of time before a top-division side like Burnley would come calling after his 86-game, 17-goal and 17-assist record with Charlton Athletic.
Southampton have been on the bitter end of a few injury concerns this season. The striker position has been their biggest concerns after Charlie Austin went down to a serious injury earlier in the season and both Shane Long and Manolo Gabbiadini struggling to find the back of the net on regular occasions.
New arrival Guido Carrillo has started every game ever since his arrival but is yet to find his feet in the English game. If the Saints can get the deal done, Berg Gudmundsson will solidify the wing role and somehow fill the inconsistencies of Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal.
