Southampton’s record signing had been on the radar of a number of London clubs, said Yvan Le Mee.
Boufal at Lille – Picture Supplied by Action Images
The agent of recent Southampton signing Sofiane Boufal has suggested the attacking midfielder could have been playing for a different side had things turned out differently this summer, according to comments published by ESPN, via SFR Sport.
Despite a number of clubs being linked with 22-year-old Boufal earlier in the summer, the Morocco international went on to complete what was a club record £16 million move to St Mary’s from Lille towards the end of the transfer window.
And the player’s representative, Yvan Le Mee, is quoted by ESPN as saying he would have moved to PSG if Laurent Blanc had remained in charge, while also stating North London duo Arsenal and Tottenham, as well as Chelsea were interested in the skilful youngster.
“We spoke to PSG,” Le Mee said. “If Laurent had stayed at PSG he would have gone to PSG, because things would have happened quickly.”
Blanc’s departure from the French champions saw Spanish coach Unai Emery come in, with the former Sevilla man having his own players in mind.
But a trio of the Premier League’s big London clubs were also interested, as they too sought reinforcements before the transfer window slammed shut.
“We also had Arsenal, who – when they lost out on Mahrez – came back to us, but it didn’t happen. We had Spurs.
“We had Chelsea, but though the club wanted to advance, [coach Antonio] Conte wasn’t too keen. It’s the job of the agent to say: ‘Wait — the coach isn’t as enthusiastic as the club. You shouldn’t do it.'”
Picture Supplied by Action Images
Boufal emerged as one of Ligue 1’s top prospects last season, firing 11 league goals for a Lille side that finished in fifth spot in the division and therefore a return to European football.
Lille of course are a side who have been used to prodigious attacking talents in the not too distant past, with Eden Hazard exploding onto the world stage while in the north of France.
He was linked to Southampton’s weekend opponents Arsenal for much of the summer, with the Gunners failing to add a winger after their interest in Riyad Mahrez failed to bring about a move, while Tottenham were also widely reported as interested in the player (Guardian).
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou at Marseille
Spurs at least managed to bring in Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, after a long transfer saga, but the prospect of Boufal ending up in London hasn’t been permanently batted away according to Le Mee. He went on to offer further comments about the player that won’t go down too well at the Saints, suggesting the player may be urged to treat the switch to St Mary’s as something of a stepping stone to the bigger clubs in the division.
“He’s coming back from injury, you’re going to the Premier League, so you go to a club where you’ll play,” he added. “To a club that’s used to bringing through young players [Southampton] and then eventually you go to those big clubs. They have sold 14 players to Liverpool, United and Chelsea.”
Southampton to Arsenal is a particularly well-trodden path in recent years, though the likes of Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberalin and Calum Chambers have all failed to secure a regular first team spot after their moves.
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