According to The Guardian, West Ham United and Newcastle United are both looking to snap up Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina this summer.
It’s claimed that Southampton are prepared to sell Lemina for just £7million this summer, and his performances on loan at Fulham have sparked interest.
Newcastle and West Ham are believed to have already made contact with his entourage ahead of a potential summer transfer.
Southampton splashed a huge £15million to sign Lemina in 2017, but they’re prepared to sell for around half the price just to get him off the books.
Lemina, 27, has started 16 league games on loan at Fulham this season as well as making nine substitute appearances, picking up one goal for the Cottagers – an unlikely winner at Liverpool.
Lemina clearly doesn’t have a future back at Southampton, and with West Ham needing new midfield competition for Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Mark Noble, a move to East London does make sense.
Newcastle don’t have a huge budget to work with, and if they can’t bring Joe Willock back from Arsenal for next season, Lemina could be a lower-cost alternative.
Lemina was once compared to Paul Pogba, but his career hasn’t taken the same path; maybe Newcastle and West Ham think they can get the best out of him.
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