Southampton are looking to bring Filip Djuricic back to the Premier League with West Ham United also keen on the Serie A playmaker, as reported by journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
With the South Coast giants weighing up a deal to re-sign a player who spent a brief period at St Mary’s in 2015, you’d be forgiven for assuming Djuricic left a massive impression during his nine game-spell on Southampton soil.
Well, that’s not quite the case.
The Serbia international started just two games in Southampton colours.
And while Djuricic himself admitted he wanted to stay for the long haul, those feelings weren’t reciprocated (BBC).
Southampton opted against signing the Benfica youngster on a permanent deal and, at the time, few supporters disagreed with that decision.
Southampton and West Ham in fight for Filip Djuricic signature
So, six years on, reports linking Djuricic with a return to his old stomping ground will raise plenty of eyebrows.
Now 29, the former Mainz and Anderlecht man is a more mature, efficient footballer these days. He scored and assisted nine Serie A goals during the season just gone.
And with his contract running out in 2022, Sassuolo may be forced to accept a cut-price bid for a player also on the radar of a West Ham side looking to pad out a squad that will be stretched to its limits by a Thursday-Sunday schedule.
“(Djuricic) is technical, fast. He can play in different positions in midfield. He can play on the left side, on the right side,” former Southampton manager Ronald Koeman said at the time.
Six years on, Djuricic could return to England with a point to prove.
Crystal Palace were also linked earlier in 2021, alongside another Serie A attacker…
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