Southampton have signed Dinamo Zagreb forward Mislav Orsic in the January transfer window.
The Saints find themselves in deep trouble, with Nathan Jones’ side at the bottom of the table having won just three games out of 17 so far. They have lost their last five Premier League games in a row and desperately need reinforcements to give themselves a chance of securing top-flight status.
According to talkSPORT, Dinamo Zagreb star Mislav Orsic had emerged as a target for Southampton a few months back and the club made a fast move given varied interest in the player from other quarters as well.
Orsic, 30, has enjoyed another good season with Dinamo Zagreb, registering eight goals and seven assists in 15 league appearances. He has also impressed in the Champions League with two goals in six group-stage games, whilst featuring for Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Croatia international would cost around £7.5million and has become a top target for Southampton in this transfer window, the report adds.
Mislav Orsic to Southampton—Right move?
One of the main reasons for Southampton’s downfall this season has been their lack of goals. They have only managed 15 goals in 17 games, with Che Adams the club’s top scorer with four goals.
The Saints are really light in the strike force department which has put the majority burden of scoring goals on Adams’ shoulders. Sekou Mara and Adam Armstrong have failed to provide any support to Adams up front, thus, accentuating Nathan Jones’ need for a potent goal-scorer in this transfer window.
Dinamo Zagreb star Mislav Orsic could be the answer to Southampton’s goal-scoring conundrum. Since arriving at Zagreb in 2018, Orsic has registered 91 goals and 40 assists in 214 appearances, which are excellent numbers for a player who isn’t an old-school centre-forward.
The Croat is predominantly a left forward but is more than capable of operating through the middle as a No.9 and on the right, and such flexibility would give options for Nathan Jones to use at Southampton. He would add pace, energy, dynamism and a much-needed cutting edge to the Saints’ attack that has been pretty much lacking throughout the season.
At 30, Orsic still has a few years to offer at the highest level, and while he isn’t exactly the profile of a player Southampton historically targets, getting someone with Champions League pedigree at a paltry £7.5million would represent a snip. He might be viewed as someone who can instantly arrive at the St. Mary’s and boost the club’s hopes of avoiding the drop.
Orsic has been in excellent form in Croatia, but doesn’t have any previous experience in English football and would be making a serious step up if a move to Southampton happens this month.
