
Having already welcomed four young talents this month, Southampton have now reportedly set their sights on rounding off their January business with one last future star.
Southampton transfer news
Despite sitting on course for almost certain relegation, the Saints focused on signing young talents this month in a surprising move – welcoming Joachim Kayi Sanda, Wellington, Rento Takaoka and Albert Gronbaek for Ivan Juric’s side.
Out of those four arrivals, only Gronbaek and Wellington will be expected to make an immediate immpact as those at St Mary’s aim to avoid unwanted history in the current campaign. Sat on six points as things stand, Southampton have the second-half of the season to earn six more points and beat Derby County’s unwanted 11-point Premier League record.
With just days remaining until the transfer window slams shut, however, it doesn’t look as though Southampton are planning on changing their transfer strategy ahead of Monday’s deadline, which could yet see one more young prospect arrive.
According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Southampton are now plotting a last-minute move to sign Louie Marsh from Sheffield United ahead of the deadline, but face competition from Everton and Crystal Palace.
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Meanwhile, the Blades are reportedly keen to keep hold of their young striker and are set to reject any potential approach from the Premier League trio – instead opting to send the 20-year-old on loan for the rest of the campaign.
Whether Saints try their luck remains to be seen, but they could certainly do with a boost in some form before the end of the window. What’s more, Marsh himself could yet have quite the decision to make regarding his future and his next club.
“Clinical” Marsh is one for the future
Whilst he is yet to receive a consistent opportunity in a Sheffield United shirt, Marsh’s loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in the last campaign certainly drew plenty of praise, including from manager Grant McCann.
The League Two boss told Doncaster Free Press: “He’s got such a hammer of a right foot, I have never seen anyone hit the ball so hard.
“The last person I saw hit a ball that hard was David Healy, who I played with for Northern Ireland I can see he’s done a lot of work on that bit of his game at Sheffield United because he looks clinical.”
In truth though, after scoring once in eight games during that spell, Marsh is a player who needs game time away form Sheffield United and game time that Southampton may not be able to offer.
Although they’ve been short on goals in the current campaign, a 20-year-old rising star is unlikely to become the solution to Juric’s problems. Instead, the Saints should be focusing on welcoming players who can make an instant impact and at least restore some pride to their season even if that does not end in shock survival.