The chance to play regular Premier League football has encouraged Mohammed Salisu to swap Real Valladolid for Southampton this summer, according to The Mail.
If reports are to be believed, the Saints are far from the only top flight outfit who have shown an interest in the 20-year-old Ghanaian.
Since the turn of the year, Salisu has been linked with the likes of Newcastle, Wolves, Watford, Everton and Manchester United.
But it seems that Southampton, after whispering sweet nothings into the defender’s ear, have him convinced that the South Coast is the perfect destination for a highly-rated centre-half who only made his La Liga debut as recently as August.
The Mail backs up claims that Salisu is heading to St Mary’s.
Southampton have triggered an almost £11 million release-clause while offering the commanding central defender a four-year contract.
AS reported last week that Salisu, who is fluent in English and always preferred a move to Britain despite interest from France, would get £35,000-a-week.
Yet a mastery of the language is not the only reason why one of the most coveted defenders in Europe has chosen Southampton.
He has been won over by the prospect of a regular place in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting XI.
The seemingly inevitable departure of Jannik Vestergaard will help, while long-serving Maya Yoshida appears to have played his final game in those red and white stripes.
Whether Salisu can oust Jan Bednarek and the vastly underrated Jack Stephens, however, remains to be seen.
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