Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United are reportedly keen on Montpellier playmaker Ryad Boudebouz.
According to Algerian newspaper Le Buteur, Montpellier playmaker Ryad Boudebouz is a target for Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United.
Boudebouz, 26, was billed as a top young talent in French football during his time with Sochaux, but left for Bastia in 2013, where eight goals in 66 games earned him a move to Montpellier in 2015.
Montpellier’s Ryad Boudebouz in action (L)
The attacking midfielder grabbed an impressive 11 assists and two goals in his first season with Montpellier, but his goalscoring exploits this season have seen him make headlines in Ligue 1.
Boudebouz has struck seven goals and two assists in just 15 appearances this season, making him one of the most impressive players in French football this season – and his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.
Algerian newspaper Le Buteur report that three Premier League clubs – Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United – are all interested in signing Boudebouz, and watched him score once in Montpellier’s 3-0 thumping of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
Ryad Boudebouz in action for Bastia against Giannelli Imbula
The Algerian international, who has 24 caps for his country to his name, will certainly be familiar to Southampton boss Claude Puel, as he managed against Boudebouz during his spells in charge of Lyon and Nice.
Southampton do have attacking midfielders at the club already with the likes of Sofiane Boufal and Dusan Tadic, but Boudebouz can also play out wide, and could be seen as another versatile attacking option for the Saints.
Ryad Boudebouz in action for Bastia against PSG’s Lucas Moura
West Brom are looking for more creative players having seen Nacer Chadli and Matt Phillips thrive this season, and a skilful, tricky playmaker like Boudebouz could fit the bill for the Baggies, who are expected to spend in January.
A move to West Ham would be a major surprise though, as manager Slaven Bilic has an abundance of attacking midfielders at his disposal already. Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, Andre Ayew, Gokhan Tore and Boudebouz’s international team-mate Sofiane Feghouli.
Marseille are also believed to be keen on Boudebouz, meaning we could see a real fight for the playmaker’s signature next month after such an impressive start to the season.
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