Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen to sign Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina, it has been reported.
Nuno Espirito Santo is keen to bolster his squad this summer and the Daily Mail have claimed that they have registered their interest to acquire Lemina’s services.
Everton are also interested to prise him out of St. Mary’s and the Saints are looking to recoup at least £15.4million which they had paid to sign him from Juventus in 2017.
Intriguingly, Wolves have discussed a potential loan move with an option to sign him permanently and it is to be seen where Lemina features in the upcoming campaign.
Espirito Santo has been busy this summer in the quest of beefing up his arsenal, with the likes of Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and Patrick Cutrone being his major acquisitions (Transfermarkt).
The Portuguese tactical genius is still very much active in the ongoing transfer window and bringing a resolute defensive midfielder appears to be on his priority list at the moment.
Mario Lemina: Profile
Lemina emerged through the youth ranks of Lorient and went on to represent their senior side before he was lured to the ranks of Ligue 1 giants Marseille.
In 2015, he was signed initially on loan by Juventus which was converted into a permanent move and after a couple of campaigns with them, he switched to Southampton.
Owing to his injuries, the Gabon international fell out of favour under the tutelage of Ralph Hasenhuttl last season and wants to reshape his career.
Last season, Lemina was handed merely 21 appearances in the Premier League and the Mirror claimed last month that he wants to leave his current club.
His defensive statistics were impressive as he churned 2.3 tackles, 2 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game on an average as he cushioned the backline meticulously.
Why Wolves should look to sign him?
Predominantly a central defensive midfielder, Lemina can also operate as a right-back and his versatility could be handy for Wolves if they manage to sign him.
The 25-year-old has decent pace and has the calibre to distribute the ball in an astute manner, which is one of his main strengths- orchestrating the play.
He has the knack to gallop forward occasionally to create chances for his teammates. He is an athletic and dynamic operator and his Premier League experience will be an added boost for the promising Wolves squad.
Wolves already have Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker to cater to their midfield demands. So while the reported transfer interest might have its naysayers, the fact that Wolves are looking to add quality depth to their squad and increase competition only speaks about their ambition and desire to excel in Europe as well.