Southampton reject £4.2m bid for Saints player who wants to leave

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Southampton have rejected a loan-to-buy bid potentially worth £4.2 million for Lyanco as the Championship defender hopes to secure a return to Brazil with Vasco da Gama. 

According to Globo Esporte, this was a risk Southampton were simply not willing to take. 

Vasco da Gama offered to sign Lyanco on an initial loan deal. One would become permanent if the towering centre-half played at least 60 per cent of Vasco’s games during the new Brazilian Serie A season. 

But what if Lyanco picks up an injury? What if he struggles to settle at the Rio outfit, or fails to find his form?  

Globo Esporte explain that Southampton have little interest in letting Lyanco go on an initial temporary basis. They want assurances. Certainties.

As such, if Vasco da Gama are serious about bringing the 26-year-old back home, they may have no choice but to put their money where their mouth is and slap down a permanent offer. 

Southampton must make Lyanco decision

Negotiations between the two clubs remain ongoing.

Once of Torino, Lyanco has clubs in Italy showing an interest but his preference is to join a Brazilian club this summer. The Vitoria-born powerhouse started his career at Botafogo before spending two years at Sao Paulo between 2015 and 2017. 

“Southampton have received official proposals from Botafogo and Vasco da Gama,” Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola explained on his YouTube channel back in May. 

“Before recording this video, I talked to the player’s father (Marcelo Vojnovic, who also acts as Lyanco’s agent).

“I asked how the negotiations are going. He told me that there is a possibility of him staying in Europe at another club.

“Some European clubs have already sought him out, in order to demonstrate their interest in signing him. But the possibility of a deal with Vasco da Gama has not been ruled out.” 

Southampton finished bottom of the Premier League last season.

The Saints are closing in on the appointment of Swansea City boss Russell Martin as their new head coach, as vultures circle around the likes of James Ward-Prowse, Mislav Orsic, Kyle Walker-Peters, Armel Bella-Kotchap and Paul Onuachu.