Southampton had a roller-coaster of a campaign in the Premier League last season. The Saints looked destined to finish bottom of the league at one point, especially after the 9-0 hammering against Leicester City.
However, Ralph Hasenhuttl turned the season around brilliantly and Southampton finished 11th in the Premier League. The Saints now need to make sure they don’t struggle again next term.
Danny Ings was their main man last season and he will surely be their talisman again this term. The Englishman needs a lot of help around him in attack; an area Southampton should look to strengthen.
Moussa Djenepo looked a stunning signing but injuries ruined his season. Che Adams had a disappointing debut campaign while young Michael Obafemi had his struggles.
Sofiane Boufal is another one who has failed to live up to the hype and, if the latest report is to be believed, he is one of those Southampton are looking to sell this summer.
Foot Mercato claim that La Liga side Real Betis are interested in signing the Moroccan international. The report claims the Saints will not stand in his way as long as their asking price of £3.5 million is met.
That is not a lot of money in football, especially for a Premier League club. It is worse for Southampton considering they paid a then club-record £16 million fee for Boufal in 2016 (BBC).
Southampton’s youth academy and scouting have been praised by many over the years. They have made a lot of money by selling their best players to bigger clubs in the past, but this would be one of their worst deals.
Boufal has less than one year left on his contract. That, combined with the current financial climate, has hurt Southampton’s chances of making some money from his sale. However, £3.5 million is a lot better than nothing, considering he will be a free agent next summer.
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