Werder Bremen sporting director Frank Baumann has hinted that Southampton’s Mario Lemina may be on the radar of the Bundesliga outfit, speaking to Deich Stube.
After a superb end to the season under Ralph Hasenhuttl, a rejuvenated Saints side will now spent the summer looking to right the wrongs of previous transfer windows.
With Mohammed Salisu arriving from Real Valladolid, Southampton have already completed an exciting, bargain signing reminiscent of the Mauricio Pochettino era.
And, with a whole host of big-money outcasts up for sale, the South Coast club will be hoping that the departures of Wesley Hoedt, Guido Carrillo and Lemina will give Hasenhuttl even more money to reinvest in the market.
Fotospor claimed in April that former Juventus and Marseille midfielder Lemina is available for a cut-price £9 million after falling out of favour under the ‘Alpine Klopp’.
After being asked about a deal for the 2017 Champions League finalist, Baumann offered a rather intriguing response.
“I noticed that the name was making the rounds,” says the former Germany international. It is well known that we still want to do something for the central defensive midfield.”
Lemina revived his ailing reputation during a loan spell at Galatasaray in 2019/20, even if the Istanbul giants finished a humiliating sixth in the Super Lig table.
But with even Turkey’s biggest clubs hit hard by an ongoing financial crisis, do not expect Gala to make Lemina one of their most expensive, all-time additions this summer.
Werder, however, could soon have £20 million burning a hole in their back pocket with star man Milot Rashica expected to leave the Weser Stadion.
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