Report: Galatasaray to hold talks with Southampton to buy Mario Lemina

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Mario Lemina left Southampton on loan in the summer.

According to a report from Turkish outlet KralSpor, Galatasaray will sit down with Southampton in an attempt to reduce the buy-out fee inserted Mario Lemina’s loan deal.

Lemina joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan deal in the summer and has since played 10 games for the Turks in all competition. The report reveals that the Gabonese international’s performances have impressed the club’s hierarchy who are keen to buy him permanently at the end of his loan spell.

However, Galatasaray cannot buy another player without selling someone else due to UEFA’s financial fair play regulations which makes it difficult for them to make a deal. The clause in Lemina’s contract contains an option to buy him for £13.6 million.

The report claims that the Turks will try to get the Saints to lower their price in a meeting in the coming weeks. However, it is unclear if Southampton will be willing to take a hit on their initial investment of £18 million (Guardian) that they paid Juventus back in the summer of 2017.

Galatasaray will reportedly try to extend his loan deal to another season if they cannot convince the Saints to settle for a lower price.

Lemina’s contract at the St. Mary’s will run out in the summer of 2022 and with how adamant he was to leave in the summer, it is unlikely that he will play for the club again.