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Exclusive: Southampton keen on Daniel Sturridge and ready to make audacious bid for Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon
Southampton are interested in recruiting Liverpool and England striker Daniel Sturridge on loan until the end of the season and are also ready to make an audacious bid for Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon.
After selling Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool for £75 million on Wednesday, Southampton want to reinvest quickly and add quality to their squad, with the attacking positions and centre-back their two priorities.
A list of targets are being considered or actively worked upon and, with manager Mauricio Pellegrino desperate to add pace, power and goals to his team, one of the most intriguing names is Liverpool’s Sturridge.
His Liverpool contributions have been limited by persistent injury but, even when fully fit, the emergence this season of Jurgen Klopp’s ‘fab four’ of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane has left him unlikely to start even when available.
Southampton have their own short-term problems in attack following Charlie Austin’s injury and, although they are also looking at permanent options, they would be very interested in taking a proven goalscorer like Sturridge on loan.
With competition for attacking places especially intense in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, Sturridge needs regular football to give himself the best chance of being selected for the World Cup.
Southampton believe that a loan deal may be most viable and could appeal to all parties, even if it did not form part of the negotiations for Van Dijk. Southampton have also been linked with several of their former players who are now struggling for regular football, notably Theo Walcott and Luke Shaw, and would be interested if they could match their wage demands.
Southampton’s scouting network is also active across Europe, especially in France where one potential deal is close, and they have been watching Turkey and Besiktas striker Cenk Tosun who Everton are hoping to sign for £25 million when the transfer window opens on Monday. At centre-back, Southampton are keen on Alfie Mawson and ready to challenge West Ham United for a player valued at £25 million.
One longer-term interest is Fulham 17-year-old Sessegnon, who signed his first professional contract last year and is wanted by most of the biggest clubs in England.
Southampton know that a deal would be difficult given the competition but could argue that they offer a perfect stepping stone given their commitment to giving young players Premier League experience. From Fulham’s perspective, Southampton have a potential replacement in Matt Targett who could form part of conversations and any sell-on clause would also be lucrative if he was to progress in the same way as Van Dijk.
Southampton have an established international left-back in Ryan Bertrand just now but Manchester City have retained an interest and, while there is little chance of any deal this window, he is another player who may eventually want to leave.
Southampton’s decision to sell Van Dijk now was influenced by their own increasingly worrying predicament just two points above the relegation zone but they hope that the transfer window will herald a new start.