Mohammed Salisu and Marc Guehi could be heading to Southampton while Jannik Vestergaard’s Premier League career is in doubt.
Southampton will let Jannik Vestergaard leave St Mary’s if Mohammed Salisu joins from Real Valladolid during the January transfer window, according to the Mirror (7 January, page 48), with Chelsea youngster Marc Guehi lined up as a back-up option.
Considering that only bottom-of-the-table Norwich City have conceded more Premier League goals than Southampton this season, it is hardly a shock to hear that Ralph Hasenhuttl wants a new centre-half or two.
And they could be in luck.
Highly-rated Ghanaian Salisu has a £10.2 million release clause in his contract, a pocket change fee for a side in England’s top flight, and the Mirror reports that they are ‘closing in’ on signing the 20-year-old La Liga stopper.
Guehi, the England U21 international tipped for a bright future at Chelsea, could also be heading to the South Coast on loan.
A technically gifted, 6ft centre-back, the Ivory Coast-born youngster made his Blues debut in the 7-1 EFL Cup thrashing of Grimsby Town with manager Frank Lampard pointing out that his “performance showed that he’s more than comfortable at this level” (BBC 5 Live, 31 October, 10:00pm).
A short-term spell away from Stamford Bridge would be hugely beneficial to Guehi, who will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduate Fikayo Tomori by establishing himself as a first-team star in West London under Lampard.
The Mirror adds that this could see Denmark international Vestergaard leave, some 18 months after joining from Borussia Monchengladbach for £18 million. The former Bundesliga star has not lived up to expectations and he will not be missed by the majority of supporters.
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