Southampton showing interest in Ritsu Doan is nothing new.
And if the Japan international is as effusive about a move to St Mary’s as he was in 2019, when Southampton were first linked, Ralph Hasenhuttl could be in luck as he scours the market for a creative midfielder capable of injecting some cutting edge into an often blunt attack.
“The Premier League is a great league,” Doan told Voetbal International two years ago when quizzed about interest from the Saints.
“I am ready for a new challenge and new competition. I want to take a step forward. My dream is to play in the Champions League – but I must be smart about it. That is why I need to make the right decision.
“If possible, I would like a club with a national teammate.”
At the time, Maya Yoshida was still a Southampton player. Now plying his trade in Italy with Sampdoria, the Saints no longer have a Japan international at their disposal, one who would help Doan adapt to life on England’s South Coast.
But you’d imagine Yoshida – and former Liverpool loanee Takumi Minamino – will only have good things to say about a club that has history, albeit mixed, when it comes to snapping up some of the brightest talent in the Eredivisie (Calciomercato).
Could Ritsu Doan shine at Southampton?
In 2019, Doan was the twinkle-toed talisman of a limited Groningen outfit. Since then, he’s gone from king of the Euroborg to a pawn in PSV Eindhoven’s chess set, starting just three of their 12 Eredivisie games this season.
Doan offered a timely reminder of his game-changing qualities on loan at Arminia Bielefeld last season, however, keeping heads above water with five goals and a handful of man of the match performances in the heat of a relegation battle.
But Arminia were unwilling – or unable – to pay the £4 million PSV wanted for the highly talented 23-year-old when the season was over.
Southampton, however, should be able to fork out £4 million without much fuss.
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