Southampton scouted Guido Burgstaller back in 2016 and the Schalke striker has gone from strength to strength since.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows a thing or two about goalscoring so his decision to make Guido Burgstaller only his second summer signing for Cardiff City in the 2014 transfer window captured fans’ imagination.
The 6ft 1ins frontman had scored 12 times for Austrian side Rapid Vienna the previous season and, while that is hardly a tally to make the hair stand on end, the physical, old-school penalty box poacher appeared a natural fit for British football.
Just four months later, however Solskjaer was sacked and Burgstaller’s short-lived stint in South Wales didn’t last much longer. After just three Championship games and no goals, the Austrian international left in January for German second division side Nurnburg.
Three years on, however, could Burgstaller be handed a second chance on British shores? According to Kleine Zeitung, Southampton are among the sides who sent scouts to watch Friday’s World Cup qualifier between Serbia and Burgstaller’s Austria.
It may be nothing more than a coincidence but, according to The Mail, Southampton have monitored Burgstaller in the past. The Saints were reportedly interested in the summer of 2016 and a move would make even more sense now.
Burgstaller was plying his trade in the German second tier back then but is an established Bundesliga centre-forward these days. He took to the top flight like a duck to water when joining Schalke in January, netting nine goals in 18 games.
And though he’s had a more difficult start to the new season, Burgstaller could come in handy for a Southampton side who have failed to score in four of their seven Premier League games this season.
Burgstaller, a real threat inside the penalty area, could be the target Cedric Soares, Ryan Bertrand, Dusan Tadic and co are crying out for.
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