Southampton are expected to tie up the loan signing of Manchester United defender Brandon Williams after holding talks with the Premier League youngster, as reported by The Athletic.
With Ryan Bertrand gone and Kyle Walker-Peters lacking competition on the right-hand side, Ralph Hasenhuttl was desperate to strengthen his squad at full-back this summer.
If the Saints could find someone capable of filling in on the right and the left-hand side, well, all the better.
And Williams, a right-footed player who has made most of his 50 first-team appearances on the left, is closing in on a move that has been on the cards since the middle of 2020.
The Athletic reports Southampton are holding talks with Manchester United and Williams’ desire to play regular first-team football – the 20-year-old started just two Premier League games last season – is playing directly into their hands.
Williams, who wanted to join Southampton last summer before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got cold feet, will now be allowed to go too, with Hasenhuttl promising the youngster a bigger role in his first-team plans on the South Coast.
Will Brandon Williams finally join Southampton?
The report adds Southampton would probably have to contribute every penny of Williams’ £65,000-a-week wages, however, while a loan fee has yet to be agreed for the England U21 international.
It remains to be seen whether Williams is viewed as a potential starter at St Mary’s.
Southampton signed Romain Perraud from Brest last week and the assumption was he would be Hasenhuttl’s first-choice left-back.
Should the Frenchman struggle to adapt to life across the Channel, however, don’t be surprised to see Williams start instead in their Premier League opener at Everton next month.
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