Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has hinted that he might sign a few new players in the upcoming summer transfer as he aims to achieve bigger things at St. Mary’s next season.
“We have to sign a few new players and work with them exactly the same way as we did with our players now and try to create a new spirit and winning mentality because that was missing after being safe,” the Austrian said.
We take a look at three players Southampton should target this summer.
Jeremy Toljan
Southampton lack depth in the right-back department, with Yan Valery being the only reliable for coach Hasenhuttl at the moment. Hence, the addition of a new right-back could be imperative and Dortmund’s Jeremy Toljan could be an interesting choice.
The German full-back will return to Dortmund this summer after a short loan spell at Celtic. The 24-year-old has largely struggled during his time at Ruhrrpott and it’s likely that the Black and Yellows will want to get rid of him this summer. This could make things easier for Southampton.
Toljan is a talented full-back, who can feature at either end of the pitch. Thus, he will be able to provide solid cover in the fullback department and given his failure at Dortmund, the 24-year-old might be available for a cut-price as well.
Mohamed Elneny
The injury of Mario Lemina served as a massive blow for Southampton this season, largely due to the lack of depth in their midfield department. Therefore, coach Hasenhuttl will be keen to add to his options in midfield this summer.
Mohamed Elneny, for one, might be an excellent option for the Saints. The Egyptian international has been a fringe player at Arsenal for the past couple of years, and is likely to be offloaded by Unai Emery this summer.
Elneny bags a lot of potential and is also quite versatile as he can operate anywhere across the midfield. His ability to circulate possession coupled with his technical prowess could provide more balance to the Southampton midfield going forward.
Filip Kostic
Southampton have impressed in the offensive department following the arrival Hasenhuttl this year. But, the former RB Leipzig coach will want to sign at least one natural winger as star attacker Nathan Redmond has featured in a more central role.
That’s where Filip Kostic could come into the fray. The HSV attacker has been a revelation under new Eintracht coach Adi Hutter, and has been involved in a whopping 16 goals in the Bundesliga this season.
His aggression and ability to whip in crosses into the box has already benefitted Eintracht. And the Serbian international could serve as an excellent option for someone like Hasenhuttl.
Kostic is set to return to HSV in the summer. But, Hamburg failing to win promotion to the top flight may pave the way for Southampton to plot a lucrative deal for this highly talented attacker.