English outfit Southampton are having a season to forget as having lost a few of their star players recently, they are currently struggling for their safety in the English top flight. They have already sacked Mauricio Pellegrino and have replaced him with Mark Hughes, who has a tedious job from now to the end of the season.
But the Saints seem confident of skipping the drop and are already looking to improve their squad for the next season. They have one of the best scouting departments in the country and are now interested in a number of exciting names for a move in the summer. One such name now doing the rounds is FC Basel star Mohamed Elyounoussi.
Born and brought up in Morocco, the 23-year old spent successful stints with Sarpsborg 08 and Molde before he was snapped up by Swizz giants FC Basel back in 2016. He gradually established himself in the first team at St Jakob-Park and is now an important part of the squad under Raphael Wicky, picking up seven goals and an assist in 30 starts for the club this season.
He picked up two goals and an assist in the Champions League and is already attracting interests from clubs like Arsenal, West Ham United and Leicester City, who are all plotting bids for him at the end of the season.
A versatile attacker, who can play on the wing or as a support striker, Elyounoussi has been one of the most consistent players for Basel and has shown great potential for the future. Known for his marauding runs down the flank, the 23-year old is a confident winger, who loves to take on his man. He is a strong and athletic player, whose vision and hold up play make him a dangerous man to defend against.
His touch and technique are right up there with the best and with 14 appearances for the Norway national side as well, he is already an established star and is ready for the challenges in England. And costing just around £15m, the Norway international is a decent bet for the club.
The Saints have not been able to find any luck in front of goal this season and the front line has struggled to create enough to keep them in the PL for another season. Nathan Redmond, who has been completely out of form, is their best option in a winger’s role with Sofiane Boufal, James Ward-Prowse and Dusan Tadic covering on the wings when needed.
Lack of width has been a major issue for the Saints and Elyounoussi can solve this next season. But Southampton face a lot of competition for his signature so should they continue to scout for him or start looking elsewhere?
