Three Players Southampton Can Target Using The Funds From Virgil Van Dijk’s Transfer
After months of speculation, Southampton finally let their prized possession Virgil Van Dijk join Liverpool for a record-breaking fee of £75million. He will complete the transfer as soon as the winter window opens and get set to embark on a new life at Anfield. He will leave behind a major void at his former club and his departure has not really come at a good time for the Saints. They are currently gracing the 14th spot in the points table and although their performances have not been bad, they have not done anything extraordinary either.
They have even struggled to maintain a place in the top ten and this does paint a rather gloomy picture for Mauricio Pellegrino and the fans. They have a strong team and yet something is amiss and now without Van Dijk, they will have an uphill task ahead of them. However, the only good thing about the transfer is the amount of money they have received. With the January window set to open next week, Southampton will be able to utilise that amount to procure new recruits and strengthen the team. Hence, here are 3 players the Saints can consider targeting in January.
Daniel Sturridge – Liverpool
Sturridge has greatly struggled for game time at Anfield and considering how strong Jurgen Klopp’s present attacking options are, it does seem like an exit is the best option for the player. It is tough for a lot of players to compete with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah and for a player like Sturridge, it has been a constant battle with injuries and maintaining form. That said, when he is fit, he can work wonders and could prove to be a good option for Southampton to add attacking quality up front.
Ramy Bensebaini – Stade Rennais
At 22 years of age, Bensebaini is an interesting central defender. The void left by Van Dijk will be tough to fill but the youngster does seem like an interesting option. A ball-playing centre-back like the Dutchman, Bensebaini is quite versatile as well. He can also slot in as a left-back and as a defensive midfielder and could prove to be a valuable addition to the squad. Also, since he is quite young, Pellegrino can mould him to suit the team and also consider him as a long-term option.
Cedric Bakambu – Villarreal
Bakambu has attracted attention from quite a number of clubs this season and rightfully so. He is a splendid striker and has scored 12 goals in 20 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish club. He knows how to use his blistering pace to produce effective results and is quite a marvellous finisher as well. He could be a nice addition to the Southampton squad to provide more dimension to the attack.