After four successive top 10 finishes in the Premier League, Southampton have fallen behind quite a bit over the last two seasons, finishing 17th last season, and are currently 16th in the league with one game to spare.
Since being appointed as manager in December, Ralph Hasenhüttl has turned things around for the Saints, but they have a lot of catching up to do next season.
The Saints are looking to bolster their midfield with the addition of 20-year-old Malian winger Moussa Djenepo, as per Le Soir.
Djenepo currently plays for Standard Liège in the Belgian league and featured 38 times for them this season, scoring 11 goals and 6 assists in all competitions (stats courtesy transfermarkt).
Reports have suggested that the Malian will be available for around £20 million in the summer transfer window.
What will Moussa Djenepo add to Southampton?
Djenepo has a great season for Standard Liège and it looks like he’s ready for the next big step in his young career. The Malian signed for the Belgian club after impressing during a loan spell from Malian club Yeelen Olympique, and was later signed for €50,000.
The 20-year-old winger is very quick and can breeze past opposition defenders with ease, while also being a good dribbler in tricky situations.
Djenepo is a left-sided attacker but has shown his versatility, playing on the right side as well as centrally. He is a hard-working player who gets up and down the pitch. Primarily right-footed, Djenepo is capable of scoring goals using his left foot as well.
The winger will be very useful while counter-attacking, using his pace and strength to get the ball from one end of the pitch to the other end in no time. A fee of around £20 million seems unreasonable, considering he hasn’t played at a top European league in his short career.
At just 20 years of age, he will make a few mistakes, but can develop over time to become a solid player for the Saints. A club like Southampton, which has history and pedigree of developing young footballers, will be the perfect club for Djenepo to develop into a top-class Premier League player.
