Southampton are plotting a January loan move for a “special” player who is sponsored by New Balance, according to a recent report.
The Saints find themselves struggling at the foot of the Premier League table, winning just one of their opening 11 games. Russell Martin knows that pressure is on him to start turning results around, and failure to do so will likely see him lose his job.
Sky Sports: Southampton eye move for £16m gem with same agent as Armstrong
The Saints aren’t the only side interested.
ByBrett WorthingtonNov 20, 2024 Southampton transfer news
Whether Martin is still the manager or not, when January comes around, it seems as though the club is preparing for what could be a busy month for them. January is a good time for clubs struggling near the bottom of the table to improve in key areas, and that is what Southampton look to be planning on doing, as they appear to be eyeing a couple of additions.
A recent report has claimed that Southampton are interested in signing Hertha Berlin’s Ibrahim Maza. The attacking midfielder has been performing very well this season, catching the eye in the Bundesliga 2 as he is among the goals and assists. The 18-year-old is being scouted by a number of Premier League teams, including Southampton, who are making regular checks on him.
But there are plenty of other top-flight teams looking at Maza, and it has been claimed that should Hertha Berlin fail to get promoted this season, he would be allowed to leave for a figure in the region of £8-16.7 million. It remains to be seen if a move in January could materialise, but the Saints do also have their eye on another player, whose arrival would be a very big statement indeed.
Southampton plotting January loan move for "special" player valued at £50m
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Southampton are interested in signing Real Madrid forward Endrick on loan in January. The 18-year-old joined the Spanish giants in the summer transfer window from Brazilian side Palmeiras, where his impressive performances had put him on the radar of several big teams.
But it was Madrid that won his signature, and while he is held in high regard at the Bernabeu, it has been a struggling start to his career in Spain for Endrick. The attacker, who has been dubbed “special” by former Brazil midfielder Elano, has started just once for Real Madrid so far this season.
Carlo Ancelotti has decided to be patient with the young Brazilian, who is valued at 60 million euros (£50 million) by Transfermarkt, and now reports are stating that he could be in line for a loan move away in January. Southampton are among the clubs interested in taking Endrick on loan, but there are also teams such as Roma and Real Valladolid that are also keen on landing the forward should he be available.
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This would be an exciting capture for the Saints, with Endrick, who is sponsored by New Balance, a forward who looks to have all the potential in the world to become a real top player. However, the Brazilian doesn’t have any experience of English football, so it could also be a risk to throw him into a team that is low on confidence like Southampton’s.