With Charlie Austin and Shane Long misfiring, should Southampton join the race for Richmond Boakye?
With Charlie Austin and Shane Long misfiring, Southampton should look to Red Star Belgrade forward Richmond Boakye to solve their attacking woes come January.
The 24-year-old has notched 28 goals in 37 appearances for Serbian outfit Red Star Belgrade after joining on loan last season ahead of a permanent move this summer and the £10 million-rated star has attracted interest from Premier League champions Chelsea, as well as Scottish giants Celtic, according to GhanaSoccerNet.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s side have struggled for goals this season, with no player other than Manolo Gabbiadini scoring more than once for Saints. With Shane Long on a 25-game goal drought and Charlie Austin on target just once this term, Boakye could be the man to solve Southampton’s problems.
Former Juventus and Genoa forward Boakye’s physicality and pace would compliment Gabbiadini perfectly and with the creative talents of Sofiane Boufal, Nathan Redmond and Dusan Tadic playing in behind, Boakye could be the inspiration Saints need to push their season on.
Scottish Premier League giants Celtic are also interested in snapping up the 24-year-old (Daily Mail), with Brendan Rodgers looking to bolster an already strong attacking lineup that boasts the likes of Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele, but the Saints should move quickly to hijack any bid for the in-demand Ghanaian.
In the midst of a Champions League campaign as well as the fierce competition from Aberdeen and Rangers in the league, Celtic are looking to improve their squad depth come January and may see Boakye as the perfect addition to their squad.
With Celtic interested, luring the 12-time Ghanian international to St Mary’s will prove difficult, but the prospect of regular first-team football in the Premier League ahead of the 2018 World Cup could be enough to prise Boakye away from a Celtic Park switch.
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